Alone In A Family
by HaremOfHoth
Summary: The day after the war ends, Harry finds himself unable to accept the deaths of his friends. He continues to blame himself and starts pushing everyone that cares for him away. Ginny needs be her strong, courageous self in order to bring Harry back.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, just love them.**

**A/N: This story comes from a past of mine. It is my first attempt at fanfiction, so be kind, rewind. Wait no be kind, review.**

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As Harry sat in the Great Hall, exhausted after the last year of turmoil, looking around at all the sadness and celebrating, crying and laughing, fear and security, he realized that he would finally be part of a family. A family, Harry thought. A real family; a family that he cared about; a family that cared about him. A smile crept across his smudged and dirty face.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny said softy in his ear. "Nothing Gin, just glad it is over." Not really over he thought to himself. How could this really be over? The smile that made him feel safe and warm inside slowly slid off and tears began to pull at his tired, weary eyes.

"I am exhausted," Harry began, "I am going to take a shower and get some sleep."

"Great idea, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley chimed in. "I think some rest will do us all some good," she said fighting back the tears and sobs that have been escaping the last couple of hours. No one disagreed.

"Sorry Fr...Sorry Ton...Professor Lup...Sorry...Sorry...Sorry...I." Harry shot straight up in bed not knowing where he was for a second. Trying not to remember the dream that shattered his much needed rest, he laid back down. Ron, still asleep, barely stirred. The room was already bright. Must be morning already. Harry didn't feel much like eating any. Shortly after his head hit the pillow he was asleep.

"Harry...Harry, you awake mate?" Ron said gently shaking his arm. "No, I'm still sleeping. Leave me alone," he said groggily. "Lunch is being served down in the Great Hall. Mum said you need to eat. Plus they are talking about the funerals for Fr..," Ron trailed. "For all those that died and medals for those that fought. I think they want you to make a speech or something at the funerals." Harry figured as much. People, really only wizards and witches, for some reason always wanted to know what he thought about things. This, he supposed, is what I have to do for bringing down the greatest Dark Wizard in a century.

"Good afternoon, Harry," Ginny half smiled at him. "Afternoon Ginny." The one thing above all others that kept Harry going through out the last year, Ginny, the most beautiful, intelligent, and stubborn girl he has ever met. If only she knew how much that half smile made his heart race and mind forget all that has happened.

"Harry, we would like it if you could say a few words at the funerals tomorrow," Professor McGonagall said. With that Harry was snapped back to reality. The funerals. So many have died Harry thought. So many that didn't need to, Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin, so many more. _My fault_ he yelled in his head._ If I was quicker with the Horcruxes, I could have done this some where else. They didn't need to die_. But before the tears came Professor McGonagall said, "Harry, you don't have to if you don't feel up to it."

"No Professor, I think it only right that I say something to the families of those that fell because of me." And with that Harry departed the Great Hall. Everyone within earshot was speechless. Even Hermione was so shocked by what he had just said she could not come up with a retort fast enough.

"Ron we need to find Harry. We need find him quick before he does something that he will regret."

"Righht," Ron said chewing the last bit of food he shoved into his mouth before Harry dropped the bomb.

After an hour of searching, they still couldn't find Harry. They returned to the Great Hall to see if he had been there. Ginny beamed as they walked in, hoping to see Harry and finally talk to him. The beam quickly faded and Ron and Hermione knew at once new that he had not been back.

"Wonder where he got off to?" Ron asked shaking his head. "I mean we checked everywhere. The Room of Requirement, the dormitories, the library, and we even went to Hagrids. We can't find him anywhere."

"I hope he is ok," Hermione replied with the faintest shiver in her voice.

"I might know where he is," Ginny piped in. "Where is that?" Hermione asked.

"A place we went when we were together, before he bro..." She paused. "Before the search began."

As Ginny went down the front steps of Hogwarts, she finally saw all the devastation, all the death that was caused the day before. Tears streamed down her soft cheek. As she closed in on the lake she could hear the faint sounds of sobbing. When she got to the spot she expected to see Harry, nothing. But she could still hear the sounds of someone crying. Then she remembered the cloak. He must be under the invisibility cloak.

"Harry," she spoke softly. "Harry, are you here? Everyone is worried. Harry?"

"I just want to be alone for a while."

"But I thought you..." she shook just slightly. "I...could maybe talk."

"Talk about what? Talk about how I feel? Talk about all those that died? How I wasn't fast enough? How I should have made smarter choices? How the Chosen One failed to save his friends? How I LET THEM DIE?"

"Harry, it isn't your fault." Each time he spoke she closed in on where he was.

"YES IT IS." He said through the tears pouring down his face. "THEY ALL DIED AND IT IS MY FAULT." She found him next to a big tree. "FRED, YOUR BROTHER, IS DEAD BECAUSE OF ME."

Ginny pawed the air around the tree until she gently found where Harry was. Slowly sliding the cloak off him, Ginny knelt down in front of him.

"You listen to me Harry Potter," she stared into his puffy, tear drenched green eyes. "You listen to me good. It is not your fault that Fred and the others died here. It was Voldemort's. He set you on this path when he murdered your parents. He created this destiny for you. You didn't have a choice. Besides, everyone knew that people would die in the fight. They knew the risks and they chose to fight. They didn't do it for themselves they did it for us all. They sacrificed their lives in order to stop him. They did it to make the world safe again for families, safe for children, safe for us."

_Us _Harry thought. _Ginny, I don't think you know how much I want 'us'. _

"Now let's get back to the Great Hall, I think they are starting the feast soon." With that Ginny kissed his forehead gently, put her arm around him and helped him to his feet. For the first time in a long time, Harry felt he might be able to get through this and get back to a 'normal' life. As normal as a life for the boy you took down You-Know-Who. But those thoughts were pushed out of his mind as they walked back up to the school. His arm around her shoulder and hers around his waist, they just walked silently.

People were already eating as Harry and Ginny entered the Great Hall. As they approached what once was the Gryffindor House table, Mrs. Weasley stood and grabbed Harry by the shoulders and stared at him for what seemed like hours. She squeezed him till Harry thought his ribs would break.

"Don't you ever scare us like that again," Molly scolded him. "Now sit and eat something you look like you haven't eaten in ages."

Harry felt like he hadn't eaten in ages. His last real meal was at Bill and Fluer's wedding. That seemed like so long ago and much more happy times. _I wonder if they, she will ever be happy again. Especially with me being around. A constant reminder of what was lost here today. _

Most of the Weasley family, Hermione, and Harry didn't talk much through the meal. Though Harry didn't mind helping himself to a second helping of pudding. After everyone had eaten their fill, small talk about tomorrows funerals started. How was going to be buried where and what time to start. Most talk was followed by tears from most people. Harry just stared off to the wall, not really looking at or thinking about anything in particular.

"Harry," Professor McGonagall said softly, snapping Harry out of his half trance. "Would it be alright if you did your speech after we read the names? Before the individual funerals?"

"Huh...Oh...yeah that will be fine," Harry said, again starting to look off to nowhere.

"Mum, I am worried about Harry," Ginny confessed to Molly. "He thinks that Fred and everyone else died because of him. He hasn't said much to me or anyone since yesterday."

"I know Ginny dear. We all are worried about him. He has been through a lot in the last year and now that it is all over, the full weight of events is hitting him all at once. It may take a while for him to open up and let the guards down he had to put up to survive," Molly said softy to her youngest and only daughter. "Maybe after another good rest he will be better."

"I hope so mum. I miss the old Harry."

"Let us hope we can get some of that Harry back."

After what seemed liked days of silence, Harry finally spoke up. "I am pretty tired. I think I am going to grab a shower and go to bed."

As Harry started to long climb back to the Gryffindor common room, he heard foot steps coming fast behind him. It was Ginny. It was his Ginny. But he didn't know what to say to her at the moment. He want to run and meet her. Pick her off the stairs and swing her around and hold her till the end of time. But his feet were glued to the floor. Ginny stopped no more than a half a foot from him.

"Harry, I," she thought for a sec. "I wanted to say thank you for all you did for everyone. And want to say welcome home." And with that she wrapped her arms around his midsection and just hugged. And for a split second Harry didn't know what to do. He want so badly to take her to the tower and tell her everything that happened. How he thought of her every day. How he feared that something might happen to her. He wrapped his tender arms around her slightly slumping shoulders. Ginny began to cry.

Harry, while still holding her in a tight embrace, kissed the top of her head.

"Ginny, I am so sorry. So sorry about everything. I love you."

"I love you too," she muffled out through Harry's now tear soaked shirt. "I love you too."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thank you to all those who have read my story so far. Thank you to those who put it in their alerts. Here is Chapter 2. I hope you like it. Please, please review.**

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"Sirius

"Sirius...No...No...Let...," Harry's voice trailed off as he once more rolled into his pillow.

"Ron you don't look like you have slept a wink," Hermione whispered as she entered the boys dormitory of Gryffindor tower. "Has he been doing that all night?"

"Yeah, I bloody well couldn't get more than ten minutes of sleep and he would thrash around and scream. Twice he fell out of bed and didn't even realize it. I helped him back in, but I don't think he is doing so well," Ron spoke softly back to Hermione. "What time is it anyway?"

"Nearly eight-thirty, we should go and get some breakfast and let him be. I am so worried, Ron. His dreams must be horrible."

As Ron and Hermione descended the stairs to the common room, Ginny was coming out of the girls dorms.

"'Morning, Hermione, Ron," Ginny yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "Where's Harry? I was hoping we could talk after breakfast."

"He is still in bed. He had a rough go at it last night," Ron stated lazily.

"Gin, I am worried about him. It sounds as though there is a war still going on in his head," Hermione added with a rasp in her voice. "We're going down to breakfast, care to join?"

"Yeah I will be down in a minute. I need to use the bathroom." Ginny knew this was a lie and figured Hermione smart enough to know it was as well. Ron shrugged and took Hermione by the hand and walked out of the common room.

Ginny, making sure no one was around ascended the steps to where Harry was sleeping. Upon entering the room she could straight away that Harry was having a rough go at it. He looked as though he had not slept in weeks. He was rolling around and nearly fell off the bed. Ginny swiftly but silently moved over to the bed. Gently she slid under the sheets and wrapped her arms around Harry's bare chest. He thrashed a couple of times more, then settled into Ginny's embrace. She gently swept his hair from his face and kissed him gently on the forehead. Ginny laid her head on his pillow and drifted off to sleep.

Harry stirred gently and forced his eyes open just enough to realize he was not alone in his bed. He looked deep into Ginny's face and gently tightened their embrace. Ginny stirred and cracked her eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful. How long have you been here?" Harry whispered.

"Mmm..what time is it?"

"Nearly eleven."

"About two and a half hours then."

"Thank you Ginny"

"You're welcome. For what?" she grinned.

"You saved me in my dream. I don't know how to explain it. I kept seeing people I cared about dying all around me but I couldn't do anything to help. Then I thought I saw you die and I almost went mad. But you didn't die, you just laid down next to me. You didn't say anything but some how I knew it was going to be alright."

"Your very much welcome then," she softly kissed him on the head as he stared out the window. "We should be getting down to the great hall before people wonder were we are off at."

"People are already wondering that." A stern voice came from the entry.

"Oh Ron, leave them alone. Can't you see they finally got some sleep," Hermione tugged Ron's arm. "But you should probably get up. The funerals are to start at twelve thirty."

"Yeah and I am starving," Harry said throwing the covers off him and Ginny.

"You might want to get dressed first mate," Ron said pointing at Harry's boxers.

Harry's face flushed just a bit. "Gin, you mind?"

"Not in the slightest," she said as her cheeks almost matched her hair. Harry's face now redder and hotter than he can remember stammered out.

"Maybe you should get dressed as well."

"What you don't like what I am wearing?" Ginny said standing from Harry's bed.

"No...I love what you got on. But I don't know if your mum would like you walking down with me and you just wearing knickers and a tee.

"Right. Meet you in the common room in a few minutes then."

"Right."

As the four walked out of the common room and down the stairs, Hermione holding Ron's hand, Ginny smiled and reached for Harry's. As though something just stabbed him, he pulled his hand away and snapped his head at the source.

"Sorry," He confessed as he took her hand into his, "I was just thinking about what I am going to say at the funerals. How to stand up in front of all those people and tell them I am sorry. Sorry that I got their sons and daughters, husbands and wifes, dads and mums killed because I wasn't smart enough to keep this away from Hogwarts."

Stopping short of the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione's mouths opened slightly to protest but Ginny beat them to the punch.

"Harry Potter," she spun him toward her, "you listen good. It is not your fault that those people died. The war was coming and there wasn't anything you could have done differently to stop that."

"But...," Harry tried to retort.

"But nothing, you did more than anyone could have asked you to do. Sacrificed and lost more than anyone but you are not at fault. You..."

She was cut off by Molly coming out of the Great Hall. "There you are. We were so worried. You look awful Harry dear. Why don't you get something to eat, you will feel better. That includes you too miss."

"We will talk about where you were later," Molly whispered into her only daughter's ear as she walked past.

"I was just..."

"I said later," She gave her daughter a slight hug.

Lunch past much like the last few meals, people talking about where people would be buried, who would be at the funerals and somber sobs. Lost in his thoughts, Harry was barely picking at his food. And aside from the occasional grin at Ginny, his face was emotionally blank. This left Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the Weasly family concerned about the thoughts running through his mind. None of them could image the pain or the torment Harry was feeling about all those who died. Every ounce of sleep he had was riddled with the faces of those whose lives were snatched away, as far as Harry was concerned, because of him.

Professor McGonagall stood at the podium. "For all those of you that will be attending the mass funeral service, please head out to the cemetery. For those of you who choose not to, individual funerals will begin in about an hour. Thank you," she said in a stale yet calming voice. People began to exit the Great Hall, heading to the ceremony.

"Harry, are you ready?" came a gentle voice from over his left shoulder.

"Yes, as ready as I think I am going to be," Harry said grinning back at Ginny's illuminating face. He could see that she was fighting back tears. He knew that wouldn't last long.

Professor McGonagall was first to speak. She thanked everyone for coming, said sorry about those who died, and gave a short speech about how brave those who fought were and how they have made not only the wizarding world safer but also the muggle world as well. After her speech, she told them that the new Minister of Magic had ordered that everyone that fought and died here would be getting the Order of Merlin.

Harry's speech was similar to McGonagall's. He thanked all the families and said sorry about their loss, and that those who fought and died were the bravest people he had ever known. He also talked about how family was the most import part of healing. How family and friends can lead you through the darkest hours. He told the story of how Ron had been there in the woods right when he needed him the most. And of Hermione, who never left his side during his search.

He ended it by saying, "What people need more than fancy words in long speeches was love. Love from family and friends. Love and friendship separate us from Vold…." He paused for a second to look around. Clearing his throat he continued, "From Riddle. Friends, family, laughter, and love is what defines who we are. Shapes our actions and makes us, well, human."

Harry didn't think it was a particular good speech, not nearly as good as McGonagall's, but when he reached his seat next to Ginny, she had tears running down her cheeks. As Harry sat, Ginny didn't bother to wipe them away but instead she gently took his arm into hers and laid her head on his shoulder. As Harry looked up and down the aisle they sat, he could see that Hermione was also crying but she gave Harry a warm smile. Ron, even with an emotional range of a teaspoon, had red eyes and tears running down his freckled cheek.

The new Minister of Magic, Kingsley, was next. His speech was much longer than Harry's, but he couldn't remember half of what Kingsley had said. He was too busy thinking about what he would do next. As the mass ceremony concluded, Harry told Ginny that he was going to attend all the individual funerals that were held today.

"Harry," was all that she could get out before she was cut off.

"I have to do this. These people are dead because of me. The least I can do is to attend their service," He said just above a whisper. Ginny nodded and gave him a big hug.

Since Fred was going to be buried at the burrow, his funeral was going to take place tomorrow. Harry first attended Colin Creevey's funeral, followed by Tonks and Lupins. Harry attended all the funerals held that day. Ginny was by his side through them all.

They returned to the castle well past dark. Upon entering the Great Hall for one last feast before heading to the Burrow in the morning, Harry still had a blank, emotionless expression on his face and Ginny's eyes were red and a little puffy, but she was no longer crying. Hermione saw them first.

"Harry, Ginny, they're back," she said softly to the rest of the Weasley clan.

"Harry dear, come over here and eat something. You look like you could use some food. Ginny you too dear," Mrs. Weasley said in her motherly voice that was warm and embracing. All Harry could do was nod.

Supper was another meal that passed by semi silent. Harry did eat more than he had in a couple of days and he did feel a little better, but was still extremely exhausted. Supper ended with Mrs. Weasley sending everyone to bed to get a full night sleep before they left for the Burrow early in the morning.

There was a nice warm fire in the fireplace as Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione entered the common room. There were a couple of other students from Gryffindor in various chairs lightly chatting to one another.

"I am exhausted. I think I will go to bed straight away," Harry said with an obvious wariness in his voice. He turned to Ginny, wrapped his arms around her and she return the hug, placing her head on his shoulder. He gave her a small kiss on her forehead and slipped from their gentle embrace. "Night all," was all he said as he stammered up to his bed.

Ginny looking very distraught, moved gingerly toward the girls dorms.

"Just give him some time, Ginny. He has had a rough year. He just needs a little time to get his mind back to where it needs to be," Hermione said softly.

"Yeah, he will be right in a couple of days. You'll see," Ron bellowed.

Ginny tried to perk up. She straightened her back and tried to walk up the rest of the stairs with confidence. As soon as she was out of site, the confidence she was extruding slid away and she slumped to her bed and flopped down. She stared at the ceiling wondering if her friends knew how much the deaths of these people, the death of Fred, was weighing on his tired mind. Ginny was determined to help Harry through this. After all, she loved him with more vigor, more raw emotion than she knew how to explain, even to herself. He loved her as well, she surmised. He said so the other night. And the look in his eyes when he said was that of pure emotion, so she knew it to be true, knew it to be more than the family 'I love you'.

The next morning, Harry again woke with a screaming in his head. It was Dobby this time. He kept saying, "Why did Harry Potter let Dobby die? Did not Dobby do good for Harry Potter? Did Dobby not save Harry Potter's friends? Why did Harry Potter let Dobby die?"

Harry looked over to Ron's bed, but it was empty. He figured he must have gone to breakfast already and Harry must be running late. Harry quickly dressed and headed down to the Great Hall. As soon as he stepped off the last stair from the dormitory, he saw that there were two people intertwined on the big sofa in front of the fireplace. It was Ron and Hermione. _About bloody time_, he thought and quietly slipped out of the common room and down to breakfast. He saw Ginny sitting at the table alone, looking dreadfully down at her plate.

"Morning, Ginny," Harry said softly as he sat down nest to her. He surprised her so, that her fork fell out of her hand and on to the floor. Harry picked it up, "Sorry to startle you. Did you see Ron and Hermione in the common room?"

"Thanks and yeah I did. About bloody time too," she stated.

"That's what I thought," Harry said with a chuckle. Both of their appetites seemed to return.

"After," she started. "After Fred's funeral, would you like to take a walk with me? There is something I would like to show you. It might make you feel better."

"Sound good," Harry said softly.

* * *

Fred's funeral went as expected. There was a nice speech by the minister. The women cried, Mr. Weasley said what a good person he was, and George made everyone laugh which seemed to lighten the mood. The funeral was not long and ended with Molly saying that there would be lunch around noon.

"Mum, me and Harry are going for a walk," Ginny said softly to Molly.

"That is fine, dear. Just be back in time for lunch."

With that, she and Harry set out to the pond not far from the house, but far enough where others wouldn't hear them talking. As they crested one of the many hills near the Weasley home, Harry saw an amazing sight. There was a big beautiful pond that looked like it was covered in glass. There was not even a ripple on the surface. On one end was a very tall shade tree, Harry didn't know what kind since he wasn't that good in Herbology, under which sat a very nice stone bench overlooking the pond.

"This is where I would come when I needed to get away from the house. Dad made it for me. Said it was my sanctuary away from the boys," Ginny said squeezing Harry hand ever so slightly.

Squeezing back Harry said, "It is beautiful. It is the second most beautiful sight I have seen."

Taken back a little Ginny retorted in a stern tone, "Well, what is the first?"

"You"

She about melted into a puddle there on the spot. Her face turned almost as red as her hair. But she didn't have time to think much as Harry tugged at her hand as they made their way down to the bench. They sat there and talked for what seemed to be hours before they realized that they were going to be late for lunch. Ginny started to stand, but Harry pulled her hand and she fell into his lap.

"Listen, Ginny," he started softly. "I know I haven't been the easiest person to talk to the last couple of days. But you have been getting me through this. You saved me when I was out there. Every time I wanted to give up, you were there, in my head and I knew I couldn't stop until it was safe for you. You saved me the other night from my nightmare. And, and I just wanted to say thank you."

"You're welcome, but I should be the one thanking you for stopping You-Know-Who," she said softly and kissed his forehead, then softly kissed his nose, finally resting her lips upon his in a tender kiss that seemed to go on for days.

As their lips parted, Harry mustered, "I love you, Ginny. I love you with every ounce of myself."

"I love you too, Harry. I have loved you since the first time we met. I will always love you."

Their lips met again, this time in a more passionate kiss. This time when they broke apart, their lips stayed close and their eyes still closed.

"We better get back for lunch or mum might never let us alone again," Ginny said disappointedly.

Lunch and the rest of the day went by really fast. And for the next week there seemed to be a routine forming. Harry and Ginny would go for a walk in the morning to the pond. Lunch would be served and the family would go help George and Ron fix up the shop to open again. After a week of this, Hermione announced that she was going to go find her parents in Australia and that Ron was going with her. Harry's nightmares were also settling down and he was able to rest more. He only woke up twice in the last week saying someone's name.

After Ron and Hermione left, so did the rest of the family, and the Burrow seem rather quiet and empty. Harry, wanting to get away for a while, asked Mrs. Weasley if he and Ginny could go to Diagon Alley to get a few things and have lunch. She said it would be fine, but they had to travel by floo powder because Harry didn't have his apparition license yet.

After a quick lunch, followed by ice cream at Florean Fortescue's, they headed to Gringotts to get some money from Harry's vault. As they approached the bank, there was a loud CRACK behind them. Harry spun on his heal, pulling his wand as he did. All he saw as a flash of red light and Ginny lay motionless on the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know everyone already knows, but I do not own Harry potter or any characters. Just so we are clear on that.**

**Thanks to all those who have read this so far. I hope you like the new chapter. Next one hopefully will be up soon. Please review, pretty please.**

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"George, Bill, would you kindly degnome the garden and get the tables set up for supper?" Molly yelled from the kitchen

"George, Bill, would you kindly degnome the garden and get the tables set up for supper," Molly yelled from the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley had invited everyone over for supper on Saturday night. Bill and Fleur showed up early, figuring Molly could use some help getting everything ready since Harry and Ginny were going to Diagon Alley. George and Bill were about half way done with degnoming the garden when they saw something shinny and white coming over the hill. As the entity fast approached the Burrow, both Bill and George recognized what it was.

"It's Harry," Bill stammered out.

"Good, he can help with setting up then," Molly said casually out the kitchen window.

"It's Harry," George hacked out.

"I know, dear. Bill already said that," Molly said, getting a little irritated.

"It's Harry's patronous," they said together.

Molly turned toward the door to see what the fuss was about. As her eyes met the door, a great silvery stag stepped through the door like it was open. Then a shuttering voice came from somewhere inside it.

"Death Eaters...Diagon Alley...Ginny...St. Mungo's..."

Molly looked at the Weasley family clock. Indeed Ginny's hand had moved to dire peril. The plates that were washing themselves in the sink fell and shattered. Molly, running out the door, grabbed Bill and Georges hand's. All three were gone.

* * *

"The minister will see you now, Mr. Potter," a petite voice called to him.

"Thank you," said Harry.

"Harry, I am surprised to see you here at a time like this. Shouldn't you be at St. Mungo's with the Weasleys?" Kingsley asked.

"Kingsley, I mean, Minister."

"Kingsley, Harry, you can always call me Kingsley. Please continue."

"Well, Kingsley, you once told me if there was anything you could do for me you would. Well I am calling it now. Where are they?"

"Harry, you don't want to do this. They have many more years of training. And as you can tell they don't care who gets in the way. They don't care who else dies, as long as they get you. The best thing you can do is go and be with the Weasleys," Kingsley tried to stay even keeled. "Let us handle this. The Aurors are the best at this sort of thing."  
"I am going at this whether you help me or not. Now can you tell me where they are or not," Harry's voice started to raise a little, but still confident and strong, never wavering.

"Harry, all I can tell you is that their last known location was in France, near the French-Spanish border. Now we don't know exactly where but there is a small town near the coast where we think some of them may be hiding. I will take you to the head of the department and have him fill you in the best he can. But Harry, I know how you feel, you should not do this," Kingsley tried one last plea.

"Sorry, Kingsley, I don't believe you know how I feel. I have lost a lot in the war. Hell I have lost a lot all my life. I wasn't able to do much before. I couldn't save my parents because I was just an infant. I couldn't save Cedric or Sirius because I didn't know enough. I couldn't save Ginny because I wasn't quick enough," Harry had a lot of anger behind his words and Kingsley knew that he wasn't going to be able to change his mind on this. He could only give him as much help as he could.

* * *

Harry walked across the grounds of Hogwarts, the site of the last battle of the war, on his way to see Professor McGonagall. McGonagall met him at the steps.

"Harry, you should be with the Weasleys now. Not here."

"Professor, I would like to stay here for a few days. I need to train on some things and learn some things from you if you will help me." Harry asked barely looking at her as the met at the top step.

"Of course I will help you. But I have to stress my utmost discouragement in what you want to do. As noble and brave as it seems, it is still extremely dangerous and should be left to the Ministry to handle," McGonagall said with the same tone she had use so many times when Harry had gotten into trouble during his younger years. "I will inform the Weasley that you are here and ..."

Harry cut her off, "I will tell them." He knew fully well he wasn't going to tell them that he was training to at Hogwarts to go hunt down Death Eaters.

"Yes, very well then. I received an owl from the Minster shortly before you arrived. He has approved a port key for you to use to get to the safe house closet to the town without any questions being asked. So when you feel ready just let me know."

"Thank you, Professor. And Professor, could you not tell anyone, including the Weasleys, that I am here? I don't want them to know what I am doing. It will only cause problems. I will inform them of what I want them to know. I don't want anyone following me on this. I have to do this to protect them, to protect everyone close to me. I have to go at it alone," Harry said slipping the Invisibility Cloak over him.

"I promise not to owl them straight away. But if they come calling about you, I will not lie to them Harry. Not even for you."

"That is all I ask Professor. Thank you and I should be gone before they figure I am here anyway," He stated flatly as he headed to the Room of Requirement.

* * *

"Is she alright?" Percy asked, rather shakily. "How did this? Where? What? Harry?" was all he could get out.

Molly was crying too hard to answer. Bill tried his best to fill him in on as much as he knew. He told him that Harry's patronous had came to the Burrow, went into the house, and then Molly came out and grabbed both of their hands and then they were at St. Mungo's. He told Percy that Harry and Ginny were just doing some shopping in Diagon Alley when Death Eaters appeared and that Ginny was hit with something nasty and didn't know if she was going to make it.

"From the reports from witnesses, there was anywhere from three or four up to fifteen," Bill continued. "They said that they apparated behind Harry and Ginny, Harry spun and did a sort of a shield charm that they hadn't seen before but some still got through. Ginny was knocked off balance when Harry spun and was hit with something. Harry just missed getting hit with a killing curse. They said he saw Ginny laying there and he...," Bill's voice when silent.

"What Bill? What did Harry do?" Percy asked in angst.

"He grabbed Ginny's wand and started to attack them. He didn't say anything but spells were coming from both wands at once. He nearly killed one with a slashing curse. And one is in the mental ward now. Harry hit him with something real bad from both wands at once. They said they never seen anything like it," Bill said still talking just above a whisper. "Then he sent his patronous to the Burrow and apparated Ginny here."

"So where is he now? Is he in there with Ginny now?" Percy asked hurriedly.

"No, he isn't. No one seems to know. After he got Ginny to the healers he was gone. I think he is going to go after them. I think he even might kill them if he finds them. And I am kinda hoping he does," Bill said with a little more conviction in his throat.

"Who did it? Do we know?"

"No, not really, the couple that are here are in no right state to talk. They said some of the Death Eater's mask came off, but then the apparated out so fast that no one saw their faces. But I am betting Harry did. I bet he recognizes them from the grave yard where Cedric was killed. I bet..." but Bill was cut off by Mr. Weasley.

"That's enough now. We need to help what we can with Ginny. Harry can take care of himself for a few days. Ginny needs us now, more than ever."

* * *

Harry had been practicing all day, barely stopping to eat. He was working on blocking spells and nonverbal spells. He knew he could do it. He had done all that in Diagon Alley yesterday. He didn't even really know what he was doing. He was just doing it, and doing a pretty good job.

_But it wasn't enough was it. Ginny still got hit. And I am going to find them. And when I do, I'm gonna. _His thoughts were interrupted by Professor McGonagall entering the Room of Requirement.

"Harry, you need to take a break once in while. You need to rest or you won't do anyone any good. You can't fight if you are exhausted," she stated matter-of-factly.

"I know but I don't have a lot of time before I have to leave, before I lose the track."

"You said you wanted me to teach you something. What is it?" She asked in a suspicious tone, thinking she already knew the answer.

"I want you to teach me to be an animagus," He simply stated.

"I thought as much. Seeing as it was how Sirius was able to get places no one thought he could. Now this isn't going to be easy. And besides, we don't even know what you can turn into or if you can do it at all."

"I know so can we get started soon?"

"Yes we will start tonight after supper," McGonagall stated. "Harry, there are a lot of rumors flying around. The Profit said there were fifteen Death Eaters. How many were there, if you don't mind me asking?"

"No I don't mind, Professor. There were five of them. Two are probably at St. Mungo's, unfit to go to Azkaban as of yet. One got away cleanly and the other two are probably having a pretty bad day," Harry stated with a stern tone.

"Do you know who they were? The ones that got away I mean? The Profit is just guessing?"

"Yes I do, Professor. Yes I do."

With that Professor McGonagall left the Room of Requirement. After supper, McGonagall returned just as promised to help Harry with his studies. As she surveyed the room, she could tell he was getting pretty good. There were a lot of destroyed practice dummies. There were even some broken bricks in the wall where it was obvious that Harry was getting a little out of control.

Their lessons lasted almost until midnight. Harry had only been able to partially transform and was getting angry the longer they went on.

"Harry, you need to take a break. Get some sleep and we will start fresh after breakfast," McGonagall commanded more than stated.

"Alright Professor, good night," Harry sighed.  
She stopped at the door, "Harry, you are doing really well. Most students take half of a semester to get where you are tonight. I am proud of you. Good night." Harry just grunted and fell on the bed that was conjured by the Room.

By the next evening, Harry was able to fully transform with just the slightest whisper of the spell. He had also mastered the non verbal spells he figured he would need most, mainly shields and disarming spells. He also had down the one spell that, as the Half Blood Prince put it, was for enemies. Harry figured he would try to get some sleep tonight and leave early in the morning for his destination in France. He would write Ginny a letter trying to explain all this and hope she would understand. _Hell, I hope she wakes up. I hope she lives. I hope I can get some sleep. Those nightmares are..._ He let the thought go.

Harry woke early, but not refreshed. He had that dream again, the one where Ginny is taken, taken by Voldemort, taken and killed. He couldn't do anything about that in his dream. But he could here. He could by leaving, going far away so that no one will attack her because he was with her. _She will understand_, he thought. But in his heart he knew better. He knew that if she could see what he was doing, was about to do, she would hex him so bad he wouldn't be able to move right for who knows how long. But he couldn't blame her for that. _It is the fire that she has that makes her, well her_, he thought. _Makes me love her so, makes me_…

He had to let that go for now. If he didn't, he would not be able to do what he thought he needed to do to protect her. So he started his letter.

_Dearest Ginny,_

_I love you._

* * *

"Harry, Look out!"

Molly about hit the ceiling, Arthur fell out of his chair onto Ron, who was early back from Australia. Bill, Percy, and Charlie all bolted straight up in their chairs. All looked around to try to figure out what they just heard. The head healer came out.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny is awake," she said with a smile on her face.

Molly almost bowled over the healer as she darted into Ginny's room where George had been sleeping in a chair. Molly couldn't say anything through her tears, she just ran up and hugged and kissed her daughter. Arthur appeared a short time later.

"Oh Ginny, thank Merlin you're okay. We were so worried. We didn't know if you were even going to make it the first couple of days."

Ginny struggled to get out from her mother's suffocating embrace. "Days? Where am I? What happened? Where's Harry?" Tears where welling and her voice was starting to crack.

Arthur asked softly, "Ginny, what do you remember?"

"I remember going to lunch with Harry. Then we had ice cream, I think. Then I...I think we were going to his vault to get some money. Dad, where's Harry?" she started to sob. Looking at her mom again, but Molly could only start crying harder.

"Is that all you remember? It is important," Arthur had a tone in his voice that Ginny didn't ever remember hearing before.

"Well, I don't know if this happened but, I kept seeing Death Eaters. A lot, maybe four or five, I don't know. Then a red light and then a blue, then I screamed for Harry. Where is Harry? Is he alright? Dad? Mom? George? Where's Harry?" She was now visibly shaking with fear. Fear that something bad has happened.

Nobody answered right away. They all looked to each other. Ginny started shaking even more and tears were running down her face like a waterfall but she made no attempt to wipe them away.

"We don't know," Mr. Weasley finally said looking at his only daughter. "He fought of the Death Eaters, sent a patronous to your mum, and brought you here. After that we don't know. All we have is a letter addressed to you. We can only assume it is from him. We can't open it. It has a charm where you are the only one that can open it." He placed the letter into her very shaky outstretched hand. "You don't have to read it now. You should go back to sleep. You can open it in the morning," Molly tried to say comfortingly.

"Yeah, sis, you have been through a lot this week. You should rest," George tried to say with a little confidence.

"This week, how long have I been here?"

They looked at each other and said in unison, "Six days."

"Six days! I have been here six days!" she couldn't help but scream.

"Well at least we know her mind isn't gone," said Bill out in the waiting room. "I am going to let the rest of the family know that she is awake and seems to be okay."

Percy just nodded. They stood together. Percy headed to Ginny's room and Bill to the fireplace and to the Burrow. Charlie still sat there and wondered where Harry could be. Why wasn't he here? He should have been in there this whole time, with her.

Ginny decided that she had better open the letter if she was going to get any answers. She gently opened it up and pulled the parchment from the envelope.

_Dearest Ginny,_

_I love you._

She continued down the letter. Tears were struggling to stay behind her eyes. Then there looked to be a fire building behind her eyes. Her brows narrowed and nose started to crinkle. When she reached the end of the letter, she let it slip from her fingers. She rolled away from all those standing near her bed. And she began to cry.

Molly picked the letter up off the floor and began to read. Her eyes became as big as dinner plates.

"Arthur, he wouldn't. He didn't." she couldn't hold the tears back. Placing her hand over her mouth she passed the letter to her husband. Both boys crowded around to read.

"Oh no," they all said together.

* * *

Harry woke in a strange house he had never been in before. He knew this would be his refuge for a while. He knew this would take a while to do. Maybe a year, maybe more, but he wouldn't stop, couldn't stop. Not till he knew she was safe, until they all were safe. _Constantly vigilant_, He thought of Moody.

"He was right," he said aloud. "She will understand one day. Maybe not now, but she will learn to go on. She will never have to worry about money. I saw to that before I left. She will be well off. She will be safer with someone else. Her children will be safer with someone else. I can't protect you Ginny, I'm sorry." He started to sob, but there was a knock on the door.

"Corpulas Collosum," said a voice from the other side. His contact is here. He will have to save the crying for another time. He stood and dressed quickly.

"Trankle Rootage," he said barely above a whisper. He opened the door to a taller lady in her mid, well let us just say a little older.

"Come in quickly. Thank you for coming. I wish it were under better conditions," Harry said shutting the door behind her.

"After what you did for me that day, it is the least I can do. But we will have to make this quick. I told my husband and son that I was just going shopping with the girls."

* * *

**A/N: The letter Harry writes to Ginny is completed and is called 'Harry's Letter to Ginny'. Read and review, please. I like getting reviews. It makes me happy. Thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Again, thank you for coming Mrs. Malfoy," Harry said plainly but trying to be polite.

"Harry, you gave me back my family. I wasn't going to let them drag us back down. It was enough that my husband was in Azkaban, our name ran through the mud, and our status was in jeopardy. And then they showed up to try to drag us in again. I wasn't going to let that happen again. And please call me Narcissa," she said with a slight worrying undertone.

"Do you know where they are now? Besides Avery and Jugson. They are at St. Mungo's and then I believe they are going to be in Azkaban for a long while," Harry stated with slight humor to his voice.

"Well the last I had heard was that they were meeting in a small village in the south of France."

Harry interrupted, "I already know that, as does the Ministry. Can you think of where else they could be?"

"Well, Lucius tried to keep me out of it by saying that the less I knew the better. That way if I were to be questioned about certain matters, I couldn't reveal too much. But as they were at the mansion almost everyday, I overheard more than they thought I did," Narcissa said almost cursing the men's names as she talked.

She continued to tell Harry that Crabbe was behind the attack. That he blamed Harry for what happened to his son. He thinks Harry killed him. So he came to Lucius to help him take revenge. Lucius told him where to find Travers, Selwyn, Avery, and Jugson, part of the group that broke out of Azkaban.

"I thought for sure that Jugson would have been captured at Hogwarts, I put him in a full body bind. He must have been freed when Voldemort hit me with the killing curse. That slime must have ran off," Harry said with great loathing.

"And Travers is still pretty mad about the Imperius Curse at Grigotts," she added.

"Mrs...Narcissa, I want to thank you for coming here. I know it was at great risk, but I thank you for the information. If you find out anything else contact the Minister directly. I will be checking in with him from time to time for updates. But know I must get ready to head to France," Harry let out a sigh.

"It is the least I can do for you. You saved Draco in the school and defeated You-Know-Who and set our family free. Oh and Harry, I did overhear something about a stake out on a grim flat or grim walled flat but I don't really understand that one much. Take care, Harry Potter. Be careful and good luck," Narcissa added as the door closed behind her.

"So they are trying to catch me off guard when I return to 12 Grimmauld Place. I will go there, but first I think I will like to visit France," Harry said aloud just to hear how crazy this sounded. Harry thought out his plan and ran through it until nearly eleven. "I got to get some sleep. I can't be tired if I have to face them tomorrow."

Ginny had spend a total of ten days in the hospital. The last four of which were under close observation and scrutiny from the doctors. They were still unsure of what exactly hit her. They figured there was at least two stunning spells and maybe something else. "What ever it was that hit her must have been greatly reduced by a very powerful shield charm," Ginny overheard the doctors telling Molly.

Back at the Burrow was more of what Ginny experienced at the hospital, people watching over her and asking how she was doing at least once an hour. Hermione was about to ask again after supper, but as she opened her mouth Ginny let loose.

"I'm fine. Would people stop asking me that? I am walking and talking aren't I? I am eating and drinking? Why wouldn't I be ok? Because for the second time Harry has left me when I needed him the most? Because Harry thinks he has to protect me? Because Harry has to protect everyone? Harry knows what is best for everyone doesn't he? He thinks by going away to fight, I won't get hurt. But I am hurt, Hermione. I am hurt real bad. Hurt that he is gone." Ginny collapsed on the floor, exhausted from what just happened, exhausted from the last week and a half, exhausted from the last year. She just put her hands on her knees and cried.

Hermione put her arm around Ginny and Ginny leaned in as Hermione hugged her.

"It's ok Gin," Hermione said trying to comfort her. "He is just doing this because he loves you and doesn't want you to get hurt. He doesn't want anyone else that he cares about to get hurt or die because they are around him. He figures if he is by himself that something really bad happens, no one else will be harmed."

Looking up from her knees Ginny said through her tears, "I know. And the sad thing is, I can see the logic behind it. And that makes me even more mad. They won't ever stop chasing him. I know that, you know that, everyone in the freaking wizarding world knows that. So why does he have to be such a noble git about it?"

"I don't know Ginny," Hermione started to giggle. "It must be his saving people thing he has."  
Both girls started laughing. Laughing so much that they didn't hear Mrs. Weasley come up the stars.

"What is going on in here you two?" she started sternly. "First I hear Ginny yelling at the top of her lungs. Now you two are laughing like someone put a tickling hex on you."

"Oh, mum," Ginny said as she stood and gave Mrs. Weasley a big hug. "Nothing, just girl stuff. Can you leave us, there is something I need to talk to Hermione about, privately." Mrs. Weasley, giving them both a very suspicious look, turned and walked back down to the kitchen.

Without Ginny asking, Hermione put a silencing charm around her room. "So what do you want to talk about that I needed that?"

"I need you to teach me to apparate," Ginny said bluntly.

"But you can't take the test until August."

"I know, but the sooner I get that down the sooner I can work on other things."  
"What other things?" Hermione asked, looking very worried.

"Blocking, shields, and advanced stunning. That sort of thing. I love Harry too damn much to let him die trying to do something this stupid. And I am going to find him and tell him that and more. So either your going to help me or I will do it on my own," Ginny said with a gleam in her eye that Hermione knew was going to be trouble.

"But you can't use magic outside of school, you are still underage," Hermione tried one last time.

"I know but I can still learn to apparate and learn the incantations for the spells. So when I turn seventeen I can take my test and go to Hogwarts to do some practicing in the Room of Requirement. From there I will go get Harry back. I won't be left behind again."

"Alright," Hermione caved in. "I will get some books and things and we can start tomorrow."

Harry had been sitting outside the same house for nearly two weeks now. They still haven't shown up. He had been hiding in animagus form because he figured with all the stray animals around town who would notice one more. Especially if this one wasn't hounding everyone that walked by for food. Harry began to wonder if the information he received from the minister was accurate, after all it was just a tiny lead the minister had. But Narcissa also confirmed that this was the place where some of them where hiding out. Harry was getting pretty down about what was happening. That in the two weeks since he has been watching this house that nothing had happened. It gave him time to think about what he was doing. This was starting to get dangerous. He was starting to regret what he did to Ginny. _Would she even want me back if I came home now? Is she a wake yet? Did she d...? What was that?_ Something caught Harry's eye.

_Did I just see a hand? Stupid me. They must be apparating from under a Dissalution Charm. That is why I can't see them coming and going. I am going to have to go in the house if I want to get them._ Harry approached the house very slow and near the bushes. As he approached the door, he realised that there really wasn't a door there at all, but a charm to make it look like one from the street. _That way no one would see a door opening and shutting by itself. That is pretty smart. Wonder who told them to do it?_ Harry couldn't help but laugh on the inside about that. He will have to remember to tell Ron that one when, if he sees him again. Harry crept through the false door to see that it opened to a porch area. He transformed back to his human self and pulled out his wand, ready for anything. Harry wished he had his invisibility cloak now. Or at least would have mastered the Disillusionment Charm. He tipped toed up to the real door to the house and put his hand on the knob. He slowly and quietly turned the knob and gently pushed the door open.

"Very good, Ginny, you seem to have apparating down. But you can never practice too much. You still have to be very careful, you can still splinch yourself," Hermione reminded Ginny for about the hundredth time today.

"I know. We have been doing it for about month straight. I think I got it after the first week. Nailed it the second. Cemented it the third week. And this week I, I, I can't think of another word but I can do it. Now can we work on some of the other things now?" Ginny pleaded.

"I suppose, but we need to go further from the house so your mum doesn't catch us. Let alone Ron. You know what he would say, 'Harry knows what he is doing. Leave him to it then,'" Hermione tried to do her best Ron impression. This made both girls laugh until their sides began to hurt.

After Hermione was able to breath again she said, "After lunch me and Ron are going to Diagon Alley. But tonight we will go over some in your room and then tomorrow we will go down near the pond."

"Sounds good to me," Ginny added barely able to breath herself. "Have you heard anything that will help us figure out where Harry is?"

"Well there was something in the Prophet yesterday about the Ministry catching two Death Eaters in France. There wasn't many details, just said that the Ministry had recaptured one of the Death Eaters that broke out of Azkaban last year," Hermione said.

"I hope Harry is alright out there. He better not die before I get my chance to kill him," Ginny added as they approached the house for lunch.

As they walked in the front door they saw Bill sitting at the kitchen table. Now, by itself this was not an odd occurrence, but today Bill had brought a guest with. A goblin from Gringotts was sitting next to him.

"Ginny," Bill said as he slowly rose from his chair.

"Bill, what is going on?" Ginny replied very confused.

"Please sit, we have some business. As you know, Harry had inherited a small fortune from his parents. He also inherited the Black family fortune when Sirius died. Now, Harry had came in to my office a little over a month ago and filed this paper work," Bill paused and straighted up.

"What paper work? What are you talking about Bill?" Ginny knew where he was going next.

Bill continued, "Ginevra Molly Weasley, you have been given three quarters of the contents of the Black family vault and one half of the Potter family vault. This according to the documents signed by one Harry James Potter. Upon the failure to report to Gringotts at least once every four weeks, the contents of the vaults shall fall to to above mentioned Ginevra Molly Weasley."

Ginny interrupted, "No, I won't take it. He is not... He is fine, I know it."

"Ginny this has nothing to do with whether or not Harry is alive or not. He set this up before you were attacked. This was just a precaution so that if something were to happen to him, you would have money," Bill said. "Now let me finish or it won't be official. The goblins get cranky when things aren't official. Now were was I, oh yes. Upon the confirmed death of said Harry James Potter, Ginevra Molly Weasley will be entitled to above mentioned contents of the Black family vault and the Potter family vault. The remaining one quarter of the Black family vault will be split between Ronald Bilius Weasley and Hermione Jean Granger. The remaining half of the Potter family vault will be evenly divided between Ted Remus Lupin and Arthur and Molly Weasley. Now please sign here Ginny and the transaction will be complete."

"No, I can't do it. I won't do it," Ginny said angerly looking down at the table. "If I do then...," but she trailed off.

Bill tried to comfort her, "Ginny, by signing this doesn't mean you have to give up on Harry. He set this up for you. You probably would have been given it anyways when you married the git. So you can thing of this as a down payment to your wedding." Ginny finally looked up from the table at Bill. "Or his funeral if I get a hold of him," Bill mumbled.

"What was that Bill?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing, just thinking out loud. So how about Gin, can you please sign? If you don't then that means if something does happen to Harry then all that treasure will go to the goblins to divide up. Now I know Harry wouldn't want that. So please sign," Bill pleaded.

"Fine, I'll sign it. But I am not happy about it. And I am going to hex him so bad when I find him," Ginny said through her teeth.

Bill turned to Molly, "Sorry I can't stay for lunch. I have a lot to do back at the bank. Have to make sure this gets set up the way Harry wanted it to. See you soon mum. And Ginny, don't do anything too rash." With that Bill and the goblin stepped into the fireplace and green flames engulfed them, and they disappeared back to Gringotts.

Molly, sensing that Ginny wasn't alright, walked over and put her arm around her only daughter. "He's alright you know. That boy can take care of himself. He will be back in no time. Well, let us have a spot of lunch then."

"You're back early, did everything go ok?" said a voice from the kitchen.

Harry moved quickly before the person became too suspicious. As he stepped into the kitchen he saw a man at the sink filling a teapot, his wand on the island behind him. But Harry didn't strike straight away, he wanted the man to see who it was that caught him. As the man turned from the sink, he saw Harry standing there.

He looked from Harry to his wand and back to Harry again. As the man dropped the teapot, a flash of red light effortlessly leapt from Harry's wand and the man was lifted off his feet and slammed against the cupboards and fell limply to the ground.

After Harry moved the man to a back bedroom, he bound him to the bed using a spell he heard Umbridge use on a Centaur during his fifth year. "At least she taught me one good spell," He chuckled to himself.

After about an hour the man on the bed began to stir. Harry splashed some water on his face to help wake him up.

"You know who I am. You know who I have defeated. You know what I am capable of doing. You know what I need to know. You are going to tell me or you will wish the Dementors where here rather than me," Harry said in a flat tone. "Do you understand?"

The man on the bed only nodded with a look of utter disgust on his narrow face.

"Weren't you in the inquisition squad under Umbridge? Yeah now I remember. Montague right? Well it looks like they finally promoted you to full Death Eater. Too bad you won't be around much longer to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Now you are going to tell me somethings. Who were you expecting to come back?" Harry said in a flat easy tone but made himself sound very direct.

The man didn't move or even try to say anything, he just continued to scowl at Harry.

"Now you seem to be forgetting that I had Voldemort's soul in me for nearly seventeen years. In that time I learned a few things. Now, I am going to give you one last chance. Who were you expecting?"

Again, Montague just scowled at Harry. Harry slowly stood and raised his wand. At first, Montague didn't expect Harry to do anything. Then he felt the ropes binding him start to tighten. A little at first, then tighter and tighter. It was starting to get harder for him to breath. After about 30 seconds, Montague couldn't breath at all. His head began to get light and the room started to spin. He looked back at Harry, who only raised an eyebrow in a manner to suggest to Montague the question, 'Are you ready to talk yet?' The room started to get dark, but before he blacked out he saw Harry turn his back and walk away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Like you all didn't know that already.**

**A/N: Thank you all for reviewing and answering my questions. A few were close to were my thoughts are taking me. Others gave me good ideas. It makes me feel good that so many people have read this. Thank you again.**

* * *

Harry set down a plate of food on the night stand next to the bed Montague was in. It had been about four hours since Montague had passed out. Harry made a quick gesture with his wand and the bounds that held Montague to the bed fell to the side. With another wave, Montague's eyes fluttered open. Realizing he was no longer bound he jumped to his feet and stared Harry down. With a smirk on his face he turned and with a loud pop, he was laying on his back on the floor.

Harry with a smirk grin on his face said, "Oh, I forgot. I put an anti-apparation spell around the room. So I wouldn't try that again if I were you. There is some food on the stand. Eat up and don't worry it isn't poisoned. I still want to talk to you without ending up in Azkaban. So eat up, I will be back in about ten minutes and we will try this talking thing again. And if you cooperate, I will try to get the Ministry to go easy on you." And with that Harry turn and locked the door.

Montague didn't eat anything from the plate. _He probably laced it with Veritaserum. _So he just sat and stewed on the bed, trying to think of a way out of his situation. _Maybe hide behind the door and hit him. No, he will be expecting that. How could I be so stupid to do this? We should have got him in Diagon Alley and this would be over and I could go home. I don't want to go to Azkaban. _

Harry knew full well that he wasn't going to eat or drink anything he gave him, but he did put in some Veritaserum, just in case. The ten minutes were up and Harry went back to the room to talk to Montague. He found him sitting in the same spot he had left him, as expected. But what he didn't expect was that there were tears running down his cheek. At first Harry couldn't tell if this was a ploy by Montague to get Harry to drop his guard a little or if this was genuine.

"This isn't what I wanted. They didn't tell me about doing things like this. I shouldn't be here. I should be at home with my mum. She told me not to join, but my dad made me. He said I wouldn't be a real man and no women would want me. He said I wasn't a proper Slytherin," Montague sobbed with his hands on his head.

"So you seem ready to talk?" Harry said in a flat even tone that commanded Montague's attention.

"I can tell you only what I know. Which isn't much? I was kept out of the loop on most things. All I know is that they were going to attack you in Diagon Alley. If that didn't work then they were going to split up and get you some place else. Me, Travers, and someone else were assigned Grimmauld Place to watch. One at a time and signal the others when you showed up. Travers is there now. We take eight hour shifts, so when I heard the door I thought that something had changed. He is too be back sometime tonight yet," Montague nearly breaking down in a full on bawling.

"Get yourself together man. I hope you don't act like this every time someone ties you too the bed and tightens the ropes until you pass out. You are in some trouble then. Tell me where the others are," Harry commanded in the same emotionless tone.

"I don't know where the others are. When I saw them apparate into Diagon Alley, I apparated back here. That was what I was supposed to do. Then wait for orders. I heard that you put two of them into the hospital," Montague's tone almost suggested admiration that Harry took on five Death Eaters and lived, almost.

"Yes I did. And I am willing to fight as many as it takes until this is done," Harry still talking down to Montague on the bed. "Now what time is Travers to arrive back?"

"What time is it now?"

"Almost ten."

"He should be here in a couple of hours, usually a little after midnight," Montague's voice was still trembling. "If they found out I told you anything they will kill my family. How...how am I going to stop them? I am going to be in Azkaban and they are going to kill my mum." With that Montague fell to the floor, rolled into a ball and started crying uncontrollably.

"Will you stop that? You're not even being a man about this. This was your choice, or as you put it, your father's choice for you. So crying about it isn't going to help the situation. Here is what is going to happen. Around eleven thirty I am going to bind you back to the bed then go and hang out in the kitchen and wait for Travers. I will act surprised to see him, giving him the impression I didn't know he would be coming in. Then I will take him down and contact the ministry. Since you didn't actually attack anyone, that I know of, I think I can keep you out of Azkaban. That is if you cooperate with me. Any hint of betrayal or the like and I don't think Azkaban will want you. Get me?" Harry said raising an eyebrow to emphasize his point.

"I under..understand," He said still sobbing.

Eleven thirty came and just as Harry said, he bound Montague to the bed. Not quite as tight as before. And as Montague had said Travers walked through the door at a few minutes past midnight.

"Another long day of nothing. I don't think he will be showing up there anytime soon. I need something to drink and get to bed," Harry heard Travers mumble to himself. Just as he turned on the light to the kitchen, there was Harry pointing his wand straight at Travers.

"Bloody hell," escaped from his lips before Harry stunned him and bound him to the chair. Harry knew he wouldn't tell him anything, so he sent his Patronous to the Minster to come and pick up some trash he found.

After the Minister left, keeping in mind that Montague did provide some valuable information, Harry figured he needed some sleep. It wouldn't be long before they figured out what happened here and double their efforts to find him. Or do something to someone he knows in order to get him to come out.

* * *

Ginny woke late in the morning to the sounds of her mother calling for breakfast. Today was Harry's birthday. They were planning a small party, even if he wasn't going to be there. In Ginny's mind it wasn't going to be a memorial to him, because she knew he was still alive. Molly thought it would be a good idea to have something to celebrate after all he did for the family and the Wizarding world as a hole. Molly had planned on a cake, Ginny always like the cakes Molly made, and presents, even though Harry might not be there. 'He would get them when he gets home,' she had said often enough leading up the day. Ginny knew that the present she had for Harry couldn't be given unless he was with her. She had decided that she would only give him his present when he was safely back and she was in his arms, only then would he get it.

"Coming mum," Ginny said lazily as she rolled out of bed. She didn't bother making her bed. This was typical since Hermione and Ron left at the beginning of the month to try to find Hermione's parents in Australia. Hermione said she would be back tonight to celebrate and then leave again tomorrow to continue the search.

"Ginny dear. About time you got down here. Breakfast is getting cold. Now eat up, we have lots to do today to get ready for the party," Molly said hurriedly as she slid a plate of food under her half a sleep daughters nose.

"Mum?" Ginny asked through a big yawn.

"Yes, dear."

"Is this really a good idea? The party I mean. Harry has been gone almost two months now..."

"Genevra Molly Weasley, do not even talk like that. You, of all people, shouldn't give up on him. He is alive and will come home when he is done with what he needs to do," Molly snapped, cutting Ginny off mid sentence.

"That's not what I mean. I know Harry is alive. But it has been almost two months now and he hasn't come home yet. What makes you think he will come home today? It's not like we have any reason today is any different," Ginny said staring down at her plate.

"Now Ginny, you can't be thinking like that. Any day could be the day he come homes. You have to keep up hope. He will be back soon," Molly wrapped her arm around Ginny. "Now eat up, we have stuff to do.

After breakfast, Ginny quickly changed into her normal chore clothes and proceeded back to the kitchen for the days assignments. Molly had her de-gnoming the garden, putting up the tent, decorating, and setting up the tables, all before lunch. This was going to be a long day.

The day was indeed long, at least for Ginny. Everyone started showing up around six that evening for supper. Molly and Ginny had made some of Harry's favorites, including Molly's meat pies and her delicious chocolate cake. Everyone had brought a present and gave it to Molly to put in the den, after which they all asked if she knew if Harry was actually going to come. She, in response, told them she didn't know but have fun anyway because that is what Harry would want. The party seemed to go alright for those who showed up. Ginny didn't smile a lot throughout, except when George would set off one of the new products he brought with. But it quickly faded when she thought how much Harry would have laughed at it. They all ate real well, Molly made sure of that, and talk was generally of what was going on in their lives right now, the normal chatter at family gatherings. Every once in a while, someone would bring up something about Harry and everyone seemed to focus at that. After which almost always came a uncomfortable pause.

After everyone had left and Ginny had cleaned up the best she was going to for the night, she headed up stairs and collapsed on her bed. Ginny said aloud, "This is the last birthday he is going to miss, I'm going to make sure of that. I know you are out there Harry. I know you are okay. I know you think you are doing this to help us, but you need to learn to trust us too. I don't think I have thanked you for saving me in Diagon Alley that day. So thank you. Harry, where ever you are, I hope you had a good birthday. I love you Harry James Potter and I will find you. This I promise you."

Ginny's door creaked just a bit, just enough that it caused Ginny to bolt up on her feet.

"Who's there," she demanded.

"Just me, Gin," Hermione's voice came from behind the door. Hermione's face appeared with a tear on her cheek. "I heard what you said. I miss him too. I just wanted to tell you that we found my parents and told them about what happened. They aren't quite ready for it all yet, so we are going back down there for ten more days. We will be back on the day before your birthday. Have you been studying your spells?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, when I can. I don't know how you can just study all the time without practicing. It is starting to bug me a lot," Ginny said sitting back down on her bed.

"Well, hang in there. Soon will be your birthday and then you can do what ever you want. Good night Ginny. We are leaving early, so I will see you soon," Hermione said ducking back behind Ginny's door, gently closing it.

"Good night," Ginny whispered as she rolled over to go to sleep.

As Harry dueled Selwyn outside of Grimmauld Place, all he could think was this was the worst birthday ever, as a spell shot by his head.

* * *

He had been dueling with Selwyn for about fifteen minutes. They both had cuts on them from slashing spells and other spells that neither knew the other could do. Harry knew that not all captures were going to be as easy as what happened in France but he was hoping that it would be this hard.

Harry tried to sneak up to Number 12 Grimmauld Place in order to see if he could locate the hiding place of the Death Eaters that were watching the building. He found what looked to be a good location to keep an eye on things, the problem was that someone else thought that too. It turned out to be Selwyn. Both stared at each other for a while trying to see who would strike first. Harry opened up with a stunning spell that was blocked. Selwyn returned the favor but Harry easily blocked that. Both were sending stunning, slashing, and other spells at a furious pace. Harry couldn't black all spells that came his way. He was hit with a couple of slashing spells that left cuts on his arms, chest, and a small one on his cheek. He, in return, had hit Selwyn with a few of his own, leaving Selwyn with a few cuts on his face and arms. Both were battling hard to take the other down alive. Which brings us back to where Harry was now, thinking what a terrible birthday he was having and how he wished it was spending it with Ginny.

But his thoughts lingered a little too long. He tried to move out of the way of a stunning spell but it caught just enough to send him spinning to the ground away from Selwyn. Harry got up to one knee and lifted his head up to Selwyn, who wasn't closing in on Harry but just standing there trying to catch his breath. Harry was doing likewise, but still didn't have the strength to stand at the moment but was ready to block if necessary. That was until Selwyn spoke.

"Did you really think you were a match for me boy? I admit you are better than I gave you credit for, my mistake. That won't happen again. I would kill you here and now, but someone else is going to enjoy it more than I. Oh, I thought you should know, before you die, we know about you and that Weasley girl. You are more than mere friends. But don't worry your head about her. We have people who are going to take care of her for you." Selwyn started to laugh. "You see boy, you are not the only one we are after, just the first. Your friends, the Weasley boy and the Mudblood, will be next. And what is the easiest way to a brother and his girlfriend, through his sister of course."

Harry only stared at him as he laughed again. Harry could feel his anger rising in him. He knew he was capable of using the killing curse and wanted to. But he knew if he did he would most likely end up in Azkaban, and away from Ginny. Harry stood.

"No. You will not touch any of them. Not now, not ever. I will make sure of that. You and your little band of pathetic friends can be sure of that. And if I am struck down, I know they will not stop until you and the rest of the Death Eaters are either in Azkaban or in no shape to even think about hurting anyone else again." Harry said moving into an attack stance.

"Nice sentiments coming from a kid who couldn't even save his godfather," Selwyn hissed back to Harry.

Harry's anger erupted. He started sending spell after spell at Selwyn. With each block Selwyn was force to take a step back by the shear power of what Harry was casting. One of Harry's stuns finally got through as Selwyn backed into a tree. The force of the spell and the force of hitting the tree caused Selwyn's arms to fly to the sides. The opportunity to end this finally presented itself. Harry, with a hard downward stroke, sent the last spell to disable Selwyn. And as Selwyn's wand hand hit the ground, ropes wrapped themselves around the tree to hold Selwyn in place until the Magical Law Enforcement agents got there. In the mean time, Harry had a few questions.

* * *

Ron entered the kitchen at the Burrow followed closely by Hermione's parents and finally Hermione. It was the day before Ginny's seventeenth birthday and the Grangers were on there way back to their old life. Ginny bounced out of the chair at the table, where she had just been pecking at her lunch, and wrapped her arms around Ron and then Hermione.

"Oh, I am so glad you guys are back. This place is too quiet and boring without you," Ginny burst out.

"Oh, it is nice to have you back. You are probably hungry after your long trip. Sit, sit, there is plenty to go around. I am Molly, Ron's mum, and you must be Mr. And Mrs. Granger. So glad to finally meet you," Molly beamed as she ushered her new guests to the table.

"Nice to meet you as well, Molly. Hermione has told us so much about you already," Mr. Granger said pulling a chair out for his wife to sit.

"Are you staying for Ginny's birthday party tomorrow? She is turning seventeen," Molly started to choke on her words.

"Mum, stop making a big deal about it," Ginny pleaded.

"I will make a big deal. You are the last of my children to turn seventeen. And since it will be a while before any grandchildren turn seventeen, this is my last chance. So like it or not, it will be a big deal," Molly spoke firmly and gave Ginny an equally firm hug. "Now run along and practice for you license tomorrow."

"Driver's license?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Aparation, she has been working on it all summer. Hermione are you still going to take her tomorrow?" Molly asked. Hermione nodded. "Good then I can get a few surprises ready for her while you two are gone."

Hermione came and woke Ginny up earlier than she wanted. Hermione wanted her to practice a couple of more times before they went to the test at nine.

"Hermione," Ginny shoved her face back into her pillow. "Imrph pasmp enopmp."

"What was that Ginny? I don't understand pillow," Hermione giggled.

Ginny rolled and started to laugh. "I said, 'I have practiced enough'. Now leave me sleep for a bit."

"Your mum has breakfast ready anyway. She wanted you to get something good to eat before you went," Hermione strolled out of the room and down to the kitchen.

At about twelve thirty, Hermione and Ginny came sulking through the door looking rather depressed. Molly turn from the stove and Ron looked up from his plate.

"What's the matter?" the asked simultaneously.

"I didn't pass," Ginny said as she stopped up to her room. Molly followed.

"What, you have been practicing all summer," Ron yelled up the stairs after her. He turned to Hermione with a puzzled look on his face. "What's so funny?"

Hermione didn't answer.

"AH, what the?" Ron about hit the ceiling when Ginny aparated behind him from her room. Ginny and Hermione were on the floor laughing so hard there were tears rolling from their eyes.

"That's not funny. I was starting to feel sorry for you," Ron said grabbing his chest like he was trying to stick his heart back in.

"Yeah it was," both girls said when they were able to breathe a little bit.

"Harry would have loved that one," Hermione said without think. She realized what she said and turned to Ginny.

Ginny simply smiled and said, "Yeah he would have. I will have to tell him that when I see him."

Ron looked at her rather puzzled, "What do you mean when you see him?" He looked at Hermione and back to Ginny. "Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

Ginny looked at Hermione and both broke in laughter again.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading another chapter. This time I would like to point you to a story I really like. Learning to Live Again by seeker68. Read it, Review it. So what I would like for you guys is one suggestion on a fic you really like? Thank you for taking the time and can't wait to read the stories.**


	6. Chapter 6

Ginny woke the next morning to the familiar calls for breakfast from her mother. As usual, Ginny rolled back over thinking it was too early to get up. The next call was much closer than it usually was. Her mother was coming up the stairs. Ginny decided that now would be a good time to get up and hurried to the door. Upon opening it, she saw Molly standing there with a letter in her hand.

"You got a letter from Professor McGonagall. She is inviting you to come early to make up what you missed last year. Says here, she will be giving make up lessons for the rest of the summer and testing students before the beginning of next term so that students won't be behind. That's awful nice of her. So get packed, she wants you there this evening for a welcome dinner," Molly said with an obvious disappointment in her voice. This meant that there wouldn't be anybody left in the house for the rest of the summer, at least. Ron had been helping George with the shop and Hermione was spending most of her time with her parents, leaving Ginny and Molly around the Burrow most of the time.

"Wow," Ginny said with a little bit of shock in her voice. "That's very nice of her. Did she say how many people would be going?"

"No, she did say that she invited Hermione to help you with some of the studies. So let's have some breakfast and then you can pack," Molly said with a sigh as she turned to head back down to the kitchen, her shoulders slumping just slightly with the thought of her daughter leaving early to finish her last year at Hogwarts.

Ginny had been packing most of the morning, when Hermione stopped by for lunch.

"Hi," Ginny said greeting Hermione as she entered her bedroom. "What luck! McGonagall invited us to come up there early. Now we don't have to make an excuse to mum."

"Yeah, what luck," Hermione stated as a smirk began to form on her face.

"Hermione, what's so funny?" Ginny asked with a stern look on her face. After a few seconds, Hermione couldn't hold her laughter back. Hermione turned and closed the door, holder her side, and put a silencing charm around the room.

"You going to tell me why it's necessary to have a silencing charm on my room?" Ginny asked moving across the room to sit on the bed. Hermione, laughter dying down, moved to sit next to her.

"Well, a couple of weeks ago I owled Professor McGonagall and asked about using the Room of Requirement to do some training for the rest of the summer. She owled back and said Harry did the same thing at the beginning of summer, just after the attack in Diagon Alley. So I came up with the idea that she invite us up there to train before we go find him. Granted, I didn't tell her that we're going after Harry, but she probably guessed as much," Hermione explained.

"Hermione, you're so...so devious. What did you do with the real Hermione Granger? So when do we leave? What about Ron?" Ginny inquired.

"Well, we can leave this afternoon. As for Ron, I told him the same thing. That McGonagall asked me to help tutor some students from last year. I love him, but sometimes he can be thick. Before we leave I'm going to go talk to Minister Shacklebolt. But now let's get down to lunch before your mum thinks we're up to something," Hermione said walking toward the door.

"But we are up to something," Ginny retorted.

"I know that, but she doesn't," Hermione said with a quick wink.

Hermione entered the Ministry in the early afternoon after leaving Ginny to finish packing. Heading straight to the Minister's office she thought, _Maybe I should've owled him. No that would've given him time to come up with an excuse not to see me. This way he can't run._ She stopped in front of the secretary's desk.

"Do you have an appointment?" said an overly grumpy woman without even looking up.

"Well, no I..."

"You can not see the Minister of Magic without an appointment. He is a very busy man these days. If everyone waltz right up here..." Hermione stopped paying attention to the lady's rant at this point. She still didn't lift her head to see who she was ranting to.

"Hermione? Hermione Granger? What are you doing here?" The Minster said looking up from the conversation he was having with a group of people.

"I need to talk to you, privately, if I may," Hermione said shooting a disgruntled look at the secretary.

"Sure, have a seat in my office. I will be with you shortly," Kingsley said turning back to the group.

After about five minutes, the Kingsley strolled into his office and settle down into his large leather chair behind a rather large mahogany wood desk. Interlocking his fingers and placing his elbows on the desk, Kingsley looked straight into Hermione's eyes.

Knowing what she was going to ask but hoping he wasn't right, Kingsley asked, "So, what can I do for you, Ms. Granger?"

"I need to know where Harry is, sir. We haven't heard anything since the capture of those two Death Eaters," Hermione said with a soft sternness that sounded both concerned and demanding.

"I thought as much. Well all I know for sure is that he is safe, for now. There was someone watching the old headquarters and I think Harry new it. He went to investigate and ended up dueling with a Death Eater there. He won, but he was also hurt, not bad," He added before Hermione could ask. "We were able to find out a little bit about what was going on." He continued to explain about the plans that Harry had relayed from the capture of Montague. "But as where he is now, I don't know. I can only speculate."

"Well, thank you, Minister for your time. And thank you for the information," Hermione said standing and reaching across the table to shake Kingsley's hand. As she turned toward the door, her head snapped back to the Minister as he had not let go of her hand.

"Now, don't go and do something foolish like go after him. I'm having a hard enough time keeping this quiet. And I'm only doing it because its him. If you go out there, I don't know if I can do the same," Kingsley warned.

"Don't worry, Minister, I've been told more than once that I am the smartest witch of my age. I can handle myself. Plus, I just want Harry home and safe," Hermione retorted with a devilish grin.

"I have no doubt that you are and so do I," was all that Kingsley could say as Hermione walked out his door and apparated back to the Burrow.

Ginny had finished packing and was saying her goodbyes to Molly when Hermione walked through the back door into the kitchen.

"Ready to go, Gin?" Hermione said while trying to hide a smile.

"Yeah, mum just didn't want to let me go. She's acting like I won't be back," Ginny grunted pulling herself free from the famous Molly Weasley hug.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley. We'll be back on the last day of August, so that everyone can ride the train to Hogwarts," Hermione tried to say in a comforting voice.

"I know, I know," was all Molly could say and she put her hand over her mouth and tears streamed down her cheek and watch the two stroll out the back door.

"Hermione, where is all your stuff?" Ginny asked as they strolled up the front steps at Hogwarts.

"I had my stuff here a couple of days ago. Anyway, lets get something to eat and talk with Professor McGonagall before we set up the Room of Requirement," Hermione said without looking at Ginny.

"Girls, you're here earlier than expected. But then so was Mr. Potter," McGonagall said as she saw the two cross the courtyard to the Great Hall. "I'll bet you are hungry. Let's eat and we can talk about what you two are up to."

As the three ate supper together in the Great Hall, they talked about how the summer was going and how the repairs to Hogwarts had been coming along. Toward the end of the meal, Hermione explained about what sort of things that Ginny and her and been learning over the summer.

"Same sort of things that Mr. Potter was learning. Though the stuff he was attempting was a little more advanced," McGonagall added without really thinking about what she said.

After the meal was complete, Hermione and Ginny went to the Room of Requirement to start the practical training for the spells Ginny had been learning over the summer. The Room resembled the old DA setup except this time there were more books and more dummies to practice on. The far wall was mirrored with a grand fireplace. In the corner near the fireplace were two beds that resembled the ones from the dorms. The board that held the pictures of the old Order, Cedric and the newspaper clippings was still in the other corner. Ginny approached it slowly, letting her gaze drift over the pictures and newspaper clippings. She pulled her small bag off her back and reached into a front pocket. She pulled out pictures of Harry, Fred, and a list of those who died, clipped from the Prophet, and stuck them to the board. _These are to remind us why we are here again, just like those were there to remind us why we started. It won't ever really be over, but we can make it easier,_ Ginny thought to herself.

"Are you ready, Gin?" Hermione asked placing her things on her bed and brandishing her wand.

"Yeah, we best get started. What do we start with?" Ginny asked as she too finished putting her stuff on her bed and pulling her wand out of her pocket.

"Shields?" Hermione asked.

With a nod from Ginny, they took up similar position that they had when they were learning stunning spells from Harry. As Hermione recalled this she started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Ginny piped up.

"Nothing, just that this is were me and Ron stood when we first started the stunning spell. He was so confident he would win," Hermione couldn't continue because of the giggling fit that came over her.

"Yeah, I remember that. He got knocked on his arse," Ginny to started to giggle.

After both girls were able to stop laughing they dove right into the shield charms. Hermione suggested beginning with saying the incantations first just to get used to them before trying them silently. Ginny agreed and with only a nod, Hermione sent a silent stun at Ginny, who just blocked it in time. Hermione kept sending leg locking, stunning, and other non threatening jinxes and spells at Ginny for nearly thirty minutes without a break. Ginny had successfully blocked them all. Toward the end of the session, she started blocking them silently simply because of the speed in which Hermione was casting them. After a short break they continued with Ginny practicing the shield charms, silently this time. After about an hour of practice they decided to call it a night and start offensive work in the morning.

Most days for the next week went on the same, offensive work in the morning and defensive work in the afternoon. After a couple of days, Hermione was no longer trying to block Ginny's offensive spells, she was afraid of how good Ginny was getting so most of the offensive spells destroyed practice dummies. Ginny was also excelling at shield charms and blocks. By the third day of training, both Ginny and Hermione were getting restless being cooped up in the castle all day. Ginny had started flying around the Quidditch pitch after supper. Hermione, not one keen on flying, sat and read in the bleachers. Many times she was torn away from her books to watch in amazement at just how graceful, nimble and agile Ginny was on a broom. She looked so much at home soaring through the air, as if she was born atop a broom. Professor McGonagall watched as well, the many nights Ginny would practice, with a rather large smile on her face as she thought about the Gryffindor's chances of again taking the cup.

The end of their two weeks of training had come and to Professor McGonagall's surprise, both girls were very proficient in the spells they had been practicing. As impressed as McGonagall was, she still was not keen on the idea of Ginny and Hermione going out to find Harry. Hermione was able to convince her not to send an owl to their parents for two days. That would hopefully give them enough time to find Harry, or at least give them time to get an idea where to start looking.

The girls departed with one last hug and words of advice from McGonagall. As they walked past the gates to Hogwarts Hermione turned to Ginny.

"So, off to Grimmauld Place."

"As good as a place to start as any, I guess. Do you think he is still there?" Ginny asked in response.

"No, but hopefully there will be some clues as to where he is. Maybe we will even find some to tell us a little more," Hermione said with a wicked little smile on her face, as though she was hoping a Death Eater would be hanging around. Ginny, just for a second and for the first time, was a little scared of Hermione Granger.

They apparated, under the cover of darkness, to a small park a couple of blocks away from Grimmauld Place. As they approached the building, Hermione caught something out of the corner of her eye. There was still someone watching Grimmauld Place. They watched for a minute, hoping to figure out who it was that was watching. Then the figure move out from the shadows into the moon light and Hermione finally recognized who it was.

Her jaw dropped just a little and she whispered, "Stan Shunspike." And before Ginny really knew what was going on, Hermione's anger got the better of her and she stood from their hiding place. She had hit Stan with three different hexes before placing him in a full body bind. Here was the break she and Ginny were hoping to get.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I got stuck for a little while, then got lazy. But now here it is and I hope you like this one. It is a little longer than my other ones but it has more stuff in it. Anyway rambling, but I do want to thank all those who have read this so far and reviewed. So please keep it up. Review, even if is to say you liked or disliked something. Always looking to improve something so don't hesitate to point it out. Thank you and enjoy.**

* * *

Ginny and Hermione both left the protection of their hiding place and advanced toward the now disabled Stan

Ginny and Hermione both left the protection of their hiding place and advanced toward the now disabled Stan. Ginny noticed that Hermione was so mad that she didn't even notice Ginny's attempts to get her attention. Ginny thought that Hermione's attack on this guy seemed almost personal, like she knew the guy and he had wronged her some way. _A mental note_, Ginny thought, _don't piss off Hermione Granger._

Hermione, now standing right next to Stan, was heaving from both the brisk movement from the shrubbery and the obvious anger building inside her. She had her wand pointed straight at his head, her eyes where narrowed and focused. Ginny saw the look on Hermione's face, a look that could kill, a look that might kill. At that moment, Ginny stepped between Hermione and Stan.

"Hermione, he might have information for us," she said in a stern voice, trying to break through the concentrated and determined state Hermione was now in.

"Ginny," Hermione said through gritted teeth. "Do you know who this is?"  
"No, I don't," she stated simply.

"This is Stan Shunspike," Hermione said still gritting her teeth.

"The Knight Bus guy, but why would he be here?" Ginny asked.

"And Death Eater," Hermione said, still not taking her eyes off him. "He was there the night we moved Harry last year. He told Voldemort which one was the real Harry. Nearly got him killed, along with the rest of us."

Ginny, taking a step back, remembered the events of that awful night. She thought of how a lot of people had missed their port key, how George lost an ear, and how Harry and Hagrid had just gotten away from Voldemort. Harry also lost Hedwig that night. This made a tear that she was holding back, roll softly down her cheek. Without wiping it away she again took the place in front of Hermione.

"Hermione, he might have information that is useful," said Ginny in a very strict tone that finally brought Hermione back to the present. Ginny then turned to Stan. "You better have some useful information or I won't let Hermione kill you straight away. We'll both hex you up one side and down the other, and then kill you. Do you understand? Hermione, release him enough for him to answer."

Hermione released him just enough to move his head. Since he still had a silencing charm, all he could do was nod in approval. With that nod, Ginny pulled her wand and with a quick flick had Stan sitting up against a tree and bound by ropes. As Hermione approached, she removed the silencing charm, but before she could actually ask a question Stan piped up.

"I knows where Harry Potter is, I do," said Stan as fast as he could.

Ginny and Hermione turned to look at each other. Though they did not smile, each could see the glimmer of hope and excitement in each other's eyes. They turn back to look at Stan.

"You better start talking fast," Ginny said glaring down at him.

"I ain't a Death Eater no more, I ain't. I was under the Imperius, I was. He believed me. It's the truth. I told him where he was. I watched out for him I did. I watched while he rested before he left earlier. He told me to keep here just in case friends arrived, he did," Stan stammered out as fast as he could.

"What in bloody hell are you talking about?" Hermione snapped back. "Who is he and where is Harry?"

Stan slowed down a bit and explained, the best he could with two angry witches pointing wands at him, that he was under the Imperius curse the night Harry was moved. But when You-Know-Who was killed the Imperius curse was lifted. He was going to leave but the rest of the Death Eaters, especial Crabbe, threatened to kill him if he did. So he had to pretend to be one of them until he could get away. He also explained that Harry had believed him because he saw his eyes that night, and Harry vowed to help him get away if he helped him find Crabbe.

"So, you see, I didn't mean to attack Harry, I didn't. But I know where he is now. I'll tell you I will," Stan finished his rambling and looked at both women with desperation in his eyes.

Hermione turned her head to Ginny, Ginny did the same. With a nod they both new he was telling the truth. Hermione released his bonds and helped him sit against the tree. They had talked to him for nearly an hour getting location information and any hints as to how many more Death Eaters were going to be there when they arrived.

"Thank you, Stan. Harry trusts you and now so do we. We'll also help you get away from the Death Eaters," Hermione said as she released the last of the binds. "But our trust is not as deep as Harry's might be. One slight step wrong and we won't hesitate to turn you into a pile of muck, do you understand." Stan nodded. "Good, now if any others show up don't tell them anything."

"Shall we go get Harry then?" Ginny said to Hermione, grabbing her hand.

"Yes," Hermione replied and apparated them both from the park in front of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Harry had been watching the house for most of the last day and a half and had figured the pattern of when the two guards had changed positions. They were hardly noticeable because they charmed their appearance to be an elderly couple sitting on a porch. They were being smart about how they changed the guards as well. One would get up and leave for a few minutes and then a new one would come back. Then the other one would change. Harry knew that the few moments when one was alone on the porch would be the time to get in the house. His plan was to get close with the invisibility cloak and then when one was alone, use the Imperius curse to make the guard hold the door open long enough to allow him to slip in behind him.

Harry approached the porch just as planned when the first guard ducked into the house. At the foot of the porch stairs he pointed his wand at the second guard and whispered, "Imperio." Now just he waited by the door for the first guard to return. The door opened just has Harry had thought, about 5 minutes after the first guard went in. Now he had to wait the seven or eight minutes to send the second guard into the house. Harry made the guard stand up and followed close enough behind that if the guard was of his own mind would have felt him. After Harry was clear of the door, he removed the curse as fast as he could. He couldn't afford the guard thinking anything was wrong; it would ruin the whole operation.

His next task was to find Crabbe and end this. As he looked around, he realized that the house was charmed to be much bigger than its outside appearance. This brought him back to his fourth year when he went to the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasleys, and when he walked into the tent. _I love magic_, he thought to himself with a slight grin, but now as not the time for nostalgia because he had a mission. Which just had been made much easier when the replacement guard spoke.

"Go debrief Crabbe," the replacement guard said.

"But nothing happened, again," complained the old guard. "Nothing ever happens."

"I know, but he'll throw a fit if we don't report to him every shift change," the replacement said.

"I know," the old guard said in a pout. He started to walk to the stairs and in the process removed the charm that changed his looks. Harry saw that he was a young man, not much older than himself. _He m__ust be one of the old Death Eaters sons. Must be getting desperate for members so they are forcing old members sons to join, pathetic really,_ Harry thought to himself. Half way up the stairs, Harry heard the front door close, meaning that the replacement guard was now outside. The old guard was a good ten feet in front of him when he reached the top stairs. Harry was in deep thought about how he was going to deal with Crabbe as soon as he found him. He was in too deep of thought to notice that his cloak caught something on the top step. Harry placed his foot on the top step, not knowing he was stepping on the edge of the cloak. Only too late did Harry realize that he was falling. With a loud thud, Harry hit the floor and the cloak fell off. But Harry had honed his reflexes and timing well over the summer. He had tucked his shoulder so that when he came up he was facing the guard he was trailing.

Not expecting anything, and kind of slouching down the hallway, the guard spun around to look at what made such a noise. He didn't even have a chance to raise his wand as Harry hit him with a stunning spell that sent him to the ground with another large thud. This one caught the attention of someone in a room near by, as a door just down the hall opened. Harry stood and starting running toward the open door with his wand raised. The person that stepped out looked up at Harry and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and tried to raise his wand, but again Harry was too fast. The man was sent flying up against the wall at the end of the hallway. This must have been the first guard because a moment later Crabbe stepped out of the room with his wand up. Harry froze.

With a cold flat tone, Crabbe said, "Well you're here earlier than I thought. My mistake for having these amateurs guard this place. It will be the last one you see me make, I guarantee you that."

"I don't think so," Harry said in as a voice as cold as he could muster without sounding nervous. Harry moved to take up a dueling stance.

"Well at least you have some manners," Crabbe said in the same cold, flat tone, taking up a dueling stance as well.

"Well, Voldemort told me to remember my manners," Harry snapped back.

"HOW DARE YOU USE HIS NAME," Crabbe yelled casting a curse at Harry, which was easily blocked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have said the late Tom Riddle," Harry said with slight grin on his face.

"I'm going to wipe that slimy little grin right off your slimy little face," Crabbe retorted sending another curse at Harry, again he shed it like a damp cloak.

"Is that it? This is going to be easier than I thought," Harry said keeping a slight grin on his face. His plan seemed to be going well. Get him mad enough that he will slip up and leave him an opening to get a stun or disarming charm in on him.

"You little...," was all Crabbe said before he started his barrage of curses.

Three, four in a row that Harry was able to cast aside. He in turn sent his own at Crabbe. Stuns and disarming charms only, nothing that was all that powerful but that was not the goal. He was trying to wear down Crabbe in order to get a good strike. If he was putting all he had in, he would surely loose. Crabbe was far more experienced and had a wider range of attacks.

This had been going on for a few minutes, Harry and Crabbe trading attacks and blocks, when Harry could hear footsteps running up the stairs.

"Stay back. He is mine," Crabbe belted out.

Harry took this little lack of concentration to get in a slashing curse. Crabbe mostly blocked it but it still left a cut on his cheek. This, Harry could see, was starting to get him really angry. Crabbe's next attacks were far more powerful than what he had been doing. Harry was able to shield them but the force of the impact was backing Harry up. Then he took one more step back and heard the words that he hoped never to hear again. The words that he has survived twice before but didn't think three was his lucky number.

"Avada Kedavra," Crabbe shouted.

Hermione and Ginny arrived on the outskirts of a small town just outside of London. From the information that Stan had given them, they were able to find the house easily. And just as Stan had told them, there was an old couple sitting in rockers on either side the front door. Ginny and Hermione where hiding behind a row of bushes not far away formulating a plan to enter the house.

"How are we supposed to get close enough to stun them?" Hermione asked.

"Well we could say we are lost and looking for directions." Ginny offered.

"No, they will have a muggle repelling charm around the house. They will know we are not muggles once we set foot on the lawn." Hermione retorted. "What we need is to distract them while we stun them."

"We could..." Ginny was cut off when they heard a loud bang near the front door. It nearly sounded like a bomb going off inside the house. The two guards stood and turned toward the door to look at what caused the noise.

"Now," Hermione said.

Both Hermione and Ginny stood and cast stunning spells at the guards near the door. The spells slammed the two men against the side of the house and the fell limply on the porch. The two women ran up to the porch to tie them up before they could recover from the spells. The two had stood on either side of the door, preparing to enter the house. They didn't know what they would find so they devised an entry plan. Hermione would go first and open the door, the door swung inward with the door handle on the right, and push it till it stopped and cover that half of the room. Ginny would follow her and cross behind her and cover the other half of the room.

Hermione grabbed the door knob with her left hand and turned it slowly. When the knob was turned all the way, she nodded to Ginny. Hermione used all her body weight to push the door, just in case there was someone on the other side. Ginny crossed right behind her and they were in the house.

Hermione saw two people dueling in a nearby room, actually she only saw one but presumed he was dueling with Harry, whom she couldn't see. Ginny saw three Death Eaters, one on the floor with his eyes open but no one home, _dead_, she thought. One was knelt down to drag him to another room, and one was watching the duel. Ginny quickly cast a body binding curse on the one knelt down and a stun on the one standing there. Hermione surveyed the stairs to see if there were anymore people coming down. Ginny was covering the hallway. The two dueling in the near by room didn't notice the entrance of the two girls.

Ginny had noticed that the two dueling must have been at it a while because the man she could see had torn robes and blood running down his face from some cuts. There was also a large amount of sweat dripping off his face. Then the man must have finally subdued who ever he was dueling with because he lowered his wand just a bit and stood up straight.

"You can't beat me. You should have known that from the start. It ends here for you, Mr. Potter. Then it will be that mudblood friend of yours and then your girlfriend. What was her name? Weasel, weaslette, oh right Weasley. To bad I have to kill you now. I would enjoy watching you see her suffer. Now, back to the task at hand," Ginny heard the man talk coldly.

_Harry_, she thought. "Harry," she spoke so softly she barely heard herself. Ginny saw the man raise his wand to cast that spell. Without really thinking about it, and with all the love in her heart for Harry, and all the malice and hate for Death Eaters, she stepped forward with her right foot and brought her right hand down with such force that the spell she cast made a loud crack as it left her wand.

"Avada..." was all that Crabbe could get out before Ginny's spell hit him. The spell hit him with such force that he flew all the way across the large room and into the wall so hard he made a very audible crack. He fell limply against the ground. Ginny rushed to the place the man previously stood and looked at where Harry was laying. He was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed breathing heavily with a single tear running down his cheek.

"Harry bleeding Potter," Ginny said in a stern town. Harry's eyes shot open.

Then he took one more step back and heard the words that he hoped never to hear again. The words that he has survived twice before but didn't think three was his lucky number.

"Avada Kedavra," Crabbe shouted.

With the step Harry had taken, he stumbled over the unconscious Death Eater lying on the floor. The curse just missed him and hit the man coming up the stairs causing him to stumble down the stairs. Harry was able to send a stunning spell at Crabbe as he rolled off the man on the floor. The spell clipped Crabbe in the shoulder sending him spinning backward a couple of feet, just enough for Harry to get to his feet. Harry knew that this was not a good place to continue, so he slowly backed down the stairs while dueling with Crabbe. They had backed into a large room off the main hall and away form the stairs. Harry noticed two more men come to the main hall as he backed into the large room. One man bent down to help the dead man at the bottom of the stairs while the other moved to watch the duel. As Harry was going further into the room, he heard the front door open and swore he saw Hermione burst through. This little distraction was just what Crabbe was looking for. Crabbe nicked Harry with a slashing curse and then a stun that sent Harry reeling into the wall behind him and he slid down into a sitting position nearly loosing consciousness.

_Well, I guess this is it. This is how the 'Great' Harry Potter dies. Alone in a house and by Crabbe none the less, _Harry thought to himself.

"You can't beat me. You should have known that from the start. It ends here for you, Mr. Potter. Then it will be that mudblood friend of yours and then your girlfriend. What was her name? Weasel, weaslette, oh right Weasley. To bad I have to kill you now. I would enjoy watching you see her suffer. Now, back to the task at hand," Crabbe said in a cold voice and raised his wand to finish Harry off.

Harry started to think of Ginny and how much he loved her and how much pain she was going to be in when she finds out. _I hope she can move on without me. She is strong; she will find love and happiness again. I know it. I love you Ginevra Molly Weasley_, Harry thought to himself. He finally allowed the tear that was welling up inside to be released. It slowly rolled down his cheek when he heard those words again.

"Avada..." Crabbe started. Then there was a loud crack followed shortly by a second crack and a thud. Harry thought he must have been in heaven, because he heard the most lovely thing he could remember.

"Harry bleeding Potter," Ginny said. Harry couldn't believe it. His eyes shot open. Sure enough, standing in front of him was the most beautiful, amazing, intelligent, strong, perfect witch he had ever seen.

"Ginny?" He questioned. "Is that you?"

"Damn right it's me, you git," Ginny snapped back.

"I love you," Harry weakly croaked out.

"You better love me. After all me and Hermione did to find you. Your arse is lucky I love you; we love you enough to come after you. I should hex you from here all the way back to the Burrow. But it looks like someone already beat me too it." Ginny said in a Molly Weasley tone as she glided over to where Harry was propped against the wall.

"Hermione's here?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, she is watching the main hall," Ginny said as she bent down to check on Harry's injuries. She began to heal some of the minor cuts, but the bruises he deserved.

"Send a patronous to the Minister. He needs to get these guys," Harry was able to choke out, still amazed at the turn of events that had just transpired.

"Hermione, can you send a patronous to the Minister to get him here?" Ginny yelled into the next room.

"Sure, is Harry alright?" She asked.

"Yeah, but I still think there is something loose in his head," Ginny chuckled.

The Minister and the Magical Law Enforcement team was there in half an hour from the time Hermione had sent the patronous. In that time, Ginny and Hermione had secured the Death Eaters in the large room and moved the dead one to another room and covered him with a sheet. Most of Harry's cuts were healed by Hermione once he was moved from the large room to another small room opposite the main hall.

"Harry, you will make a fine Auror someday. Need a bit more training but you did a damn fine job," Minister Shacklebolt said.

"Thanks, but I think I will take a break from chasing bad guys for a while. I would like to get to know my girlfriend a little better. That is if she will still have me after I acted like a complete arse."

Ginny and Hermione took up chairs in a sitting room near the main hall and waited for Harry to finish with the Minister. After what seemed like an hour talking to the Minister, Harry walked into the sitting room and approached Ginny. Ginny had heard his foot steps as he entered and turned her head to meet his gaze. The grin she had quickly faded and her face fell expressionless as Harry stopped in front of her and gazed down.

"Hermione," Harry said. "Can you give us a minute?"

Hermione looked from Harry to Ginny and got the nod of approval to step out for a minute.

"If you need anything, I will be right out in the hall," Hermione said as she slid the doors to the sitting room closed.

Harry spun the chair Hermione had just vacated to face Ginny. Harry sat and with his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands. After what seemed to be hours, actually only a minute or two, Harry sighed heavily and sat up, running his hands through his hair and resting them on the back of his neck. For a moment he thought about apologizing for his behavior, but thought better of it.

"Ginny," Harry locked his eyes on her. "Oh Ginny, seeing you lying on the ground not moving, it...it was like all I had feared had come true. That what I had done and sacrificed and the pain I caused you the year we were apart didn't mean a damn thing. They still got to you."

"Harry..." Ginny started.

"No let me finish," Harry said cutting her off again, but this time lowered his gaze to her knees. "It was this that I was trying to prevent when we broke up. You would get hurt and it would be my fault and...and I think I lost it. I couldn't stand another person I cared about getting hurt because of me. So I figured that if I could stop them by myself then I know that you and your family and Hermione would be safe. Then I could go some place far away so that you wouldn't get hurt again."

"Harry," this time Harry didn't protest the interruption. "What happened that day couldn't have been prevented if you and I were apart. I heard what Crabbe had said. He knew we cared about each other and he would have come after me to get to you anyway. From what I understand, I was lucky you were there. Apparently you cast a pretty good shield charm, and for that I thank you. And I do understand about before and I forgave you for that. It was something that had to be done for both our sakes. And if you would have left after this, Harry, that would have hurt more than any curse could have. It would have been like loosing part of me, part of my heart, part of my soul. Harry, I love you more than I could possible try to explain. So why don't we get Hermione, who is probably listening to every word, and get back to the Burrow. We have a lot of explaining to do."

Ginny and Harry got up from their chairs. Harry turned toward the door, but was pulled back into a hug that rivaled Mrs. Weasley's. Ginny pulled back just slightly, enough to look up into Harry's eyes. She noticed one tear working its way down his cheek. She used her thumb to gently brush it away, but left her hand to linger on his cheek. Harry took this as a good sign and bend down to kiss her full on the lips. The kiss seemed to last for days, but was interrupted by the sliding of the doors and Hermione's voice.

"Are we ready to get back to the Burrow," She chimed in and cleared her throat.

"Yeah," Harry and Ginny said at the same time.

The three friends bid the Minister a goodbye and walked out the front door and down the street to a place they could apparate from. They landed just outside the garden and stared at what seemed to be an empty house. The Burrow looked so quiet form that distance. No lights on and no movement could be detected. But looks can be deceiving. As they opened the back door and stepped through, they heard the voice that came out of that howler second year.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

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**A/N: Another one done. One more to go. The next will be the happy fluff coming home scooby doo ending of sorts. Hope to do better then two weeks on the next update. Again thanks for reading and please please review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Alright this is it. The last chapter of my first fic. It has been fun getting here. I want to thank all of you that have read my story. I really want to thank all those who have reviewed. Special thanks to ProfessorChris and Loyd1989**** for always reviewing. Anyways here is the conclusion. Hope you all like it and please review.  
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"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

The voice that once shook the walls of the Great Hall, once again was prevalent in the Weasley house, threatening to rip the house apart. It had been just coincidence that Molly Weasly was sitting in the kitchen have a late cup of tea, which she did quite often after she found that Ginny and Hermione left Hogwarts to only Merlin knows where. She had figured it was after Harry, but she really couldn't blame him for that. Well she actually could, and did, partly. If he wouldn't have gone after them himself then they wouldn't have left after him. But she was also so very proud of how they had prevailed and returned home safe. That, however, did not justify the actions they took. Now we find that Molly had been joined by her husband and youngest son. They had arrived shortly after Molly had noticed the clock hands had moved from Mortal Peril to Traveling and finally landing on Home.

"Yeah, where have you been?" Ron, not sitting nearly far enough away from his mother when she greeted them, shook the ringing out of his ears and tried to sound important as well.

"Ronald Weasley, keep out of this," Molly snapped without even blinking away from the trio froze in the doorway.

Faster than anyone has ever seen Molly Weasley move, she had engulfed all three into the biggest, most suffocating hug to be seen this side of the Final Battle. After what could have been construed as eternity, more like minutes, Molly released the death grip of affection only to have Arthur follow with his own round of hugs to the three young heroes, though not as nerve crushing or as loud, but with the same affection. Arthur knew enough of his wife to know that the situation was well in hand and his words would wait till later. Ron also followed in with a hand shake and a quick hug to Harry and a gripping hug to Ginny. Then side stepping away from Ginny, he took Hermione in his arms and with a great swiftness spun her in adoring hug followed by a quick but passionate kiss.

This moment, however, was short lived when Molly grabbed Harry and Ginny, and by extension Hermione, by the arms and more or less guided them into the parlor just off the kitchen. This room was well known by the Weasley children as the room, that if guided into by Molly or Arthur, could be the last room you walked into. The verbal lashing that usually accompanied the entry could make a cold-hearted Death Eater want to curl into a little ball and die. It wasn't the volume, well not always the volume, which would cause one's insides to want to stop working properly. No, it was more of the guilt and the tears that could be drawn out of the victim, much as Dumbledore could pull memories out.

The three knew upon entry into the room that they were going to be in for a rough few hours. Though surprisingly the verbal assault was rather short, comparatively speaking, only just over an hour. Ron had waited the entire time in the kitchen, cringing at some of the high pitch screams, not only coming from his mother but also from Ginny. Ginny had been defending her actions and countering with questioning her mother on what her course of action would have been, but was quickly rebutted with the common 'That's not the point' answer. Most of the lashing had dealt with the fact that Ginny and Hermione had lied about where there were going. Nearing the end of the 'talking to', Ginny happen to counter her mother's berating of lying about where she was going with a 'So next time Harry decides to go after Death Eaters all by himself, I can just tell you I am going after him and then go.' And there it was, Harry was finally brought up.

"NO," Molly started. "It is not ok for you to just tell me and go anyway. And Harry there better not be a next time. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Weasley," Harry stammered out. "After seeing Ginny that mad and what she can do, I don't even want to be late for a meal."

Silence and befallen the room for a moment or two. Smiles started to creep across all but Harry's face. After all, he was truly afraid of what Ginny might do if he upset her. Not being able to hold the ridiculousness of the statement Harry had made, Ginny let out a giggle, followed by another and one more for good show. Then Hermione, trying not to laugh at Harry as well, couldn't hold it in when Ginny's giggles were added to the formula. And like a very erratic tickling charm, all but Harry were now in a deep, belly busting uproar, more from the release of tension and joy of everyone being safe, than from the brutally honest and timely comment from Harry. This ended the talk.

"Off to bed with all of you. It is late and you look like you could do with a good nights sleep," Arthur said after another round of hugs.

Ron had looked longingly at Harry hoping to receive answers about where he had been, what he had done, and how he was able to walk out of that room laughing with his parents.

"Tomorrow," was all Harry needed to say to his understanding friend. Harry then took Ginny by the hand and guided her up the stairs to her room. Ron embraced Hermione again followed by another sweet, soft, short kiss. He too took her by the hand and strolled up the stairs to Percy's old room, where Hermione had taken up bunk while at the Weasley's. With one last kiss and hug, they reluctantly separated to go to their rooms. Harry had also just separated from Ginny, leaving her with a hug followed by a rather deep kiss and very heart felt thank you for her timely appearance and subsequent saving of his life and all. The last few days of summer will be interesting indeed.

Harry trudged his way down the stairs the following morning, make that late morning, to the smiling face of one Ginny Weasley, reading the Prophet, with the front cover plastered with a picture of Crabbe on the front being hauled off to Azkaban. The caption had said something about he was finally tracked down after a summer on the run following the attack in Diagon Alley. It also took a shot, albeit a small one, at the Ministry for not being able to find him faster. But they praised Harry for doing all the hard work. Thankfully, the Minister was able to keep Ginny's and Hermione's name out of the story. Harry had been afforded a rather late lay in by Molly because she believed that Harry once again save her daughter from great danger and not the other way around. Though she let him sleep and recover, she didn't excuse him from the chores she had planned for him.

"Harry, dear, when you are done eating, I need you to go help Ron degnome the garden and then set up the back yard for the party tonight," Molly had said as though it was the beginning of summer and all events over the last couple of months had not happened.

"Party?" Harry asked.

"Well, yes. You missed your birthday party and we were planning on a party for Ginny going back to school for her last year." Molly said as plainly as it was common knowledge.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," Harry responded after swallowing what had to have been the best pancakes he had ever eaten.

"And please just call me Molly."

Harry had indeed joined Ron just a short while later. Upon entering the garden, Harry knew what Ron was going to ask and started to regale Ron with what would be called later, the 'Tale of the Death Eater Hunt'. Ron was left speechless when he found out that Ginny had actually saved Harry's life in the end. This made him very proud, yet very scared, of his only sister.

The party had been a really big success for all. Harry had to answer to each one of the Weasley boys as well as Fleur. But after the 'Tale of the Death Eater Hunt' had been told at least a half dozen times by Harry himself, not to mention Ron after a little fire whiskey, the boys and Fleur seemed to understand that it was not all about Harry. That Crabbe had plans of going after Hermione, Ginny, and Ron as well. After accepting this, they all toasted Harry and thanked him for doing what was right. And thanking Ginny for bring hero boy home again. Everybody seem to have a good time and no one, save Fleur, made it to bed before one in the morning or without plenty of fire whiskey in their system. After all, tomorrow was August 31.

The morning came too fast and with too little sleep for our heroes. Thankfully, Molly had already placed the hangover potion next to each ones beds for when they woke. The day was bright and nearly half over when the last of them had made it downstairs. It was lunch, and Molly had again made the most delicious meal Harry had ever eaten. He was beginning to think there was a charm to make her food keep getting better the more he ate it. But he probably figured it was the lack of a good meal all summer. After lunch, Molly had sent the teens outside to get some fresh air and relax. Hermione and Ron decided to head to the pond near by for a swim. Harry thought it would be a good idea for him and Ginny go for a walk before joining the couple at the pond.

"Ginny," Harry had started after getting out of ear shot of Ron and Hermione. "Merlin, I love you. And I have for a long time now and will always love you."

"Harry," Ginny stopped him with a finger over his lips, know where he was probably going. "I need to say something before we go on. I love you too. Merlin only knows how much. And you being gone this summer only confirmed to me how much. I love you and always will. Being without, made me realize how much I need you and will always need you. There was a hole inside of me when you were gone. I want you to be with me and me to be with you, always. That said, however," Ginny paused to gather her thoughts, Merlin knows she didn't want to screw this up. She looked deep into his emerald green eyes and saw a flicker of disappointment, confirming to her what he was going to do. "Harry, I will always be here for you. So we don't need to rush into things. Merlin, we are only teenagers and we don't need to be married so young. Don't get me wrong, I want to marry you. I have wanted to marry you since I was 10. But, missing you this summer also got me to realize that I can be my own person. That I need to be my own person, I have to be Ginny Weasley and not just a Weasley, or the little sister of a Weasley, or Potter's girlfriend, or Potter's finance when the time comes. I need to be me before I can be part of us, or else it really won't be us. It'll be more Harry Potter and guest for the rest of our lives. And I can't live like that, I won't live like that. Is this making sense at all?"

Harry stared back into those lovely chocolate eyes that he loved so much, but couldn't hold back the disappointment he was starting to feel. He did in fact plan on asking her to marry him before she went back to school. But he never really thought of her as someone other than Ginny Weasley, well for a while she was Ron's sister but after the Chamber she was forever after Ginny Weasley. But having listened to her speech, he knew that she was right. It wasn't enough for him to think of her that way, she needed to think of herself that way as well. She needed to make her own way and not trail behind him throughout their lives. Many lesser women would have just tagged along for a ride on the Harry Potter express to Fame. Not Ginny Weasley. And that is one of the most attractive things about her. She did not let anything get in her way of being who she was. Harry understood.

"Yes, Ginny. It makes perfect sense," Harry said leaning forward to place a small kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, I knew you would understand," she said leaning into his chest for a most wondrous hug.

Pulling apart, Harry presented Ginny with the ring he was planning on being an engagement ring. Instead, he chose, this would be a promise ring.

"Ginny, to be honest, I was going to ask you today. But after what you said, I am pretty sure you would have said no. So instead I give this ring as a promise ring. A promise that I will be here for you for as long as it takes for you to find who you are and you to find who we are," Harry said. He noticed that there were tears clouding Ginny's eyes. He reached up to wipe them away, but was stopped by Ginny grabbing his hand and kissing his palm.

"Of course I will accept the ring," Ginny said pulling out of another hug and holding out her right hand for him to slip the ring on. Harry then slipped his left hand behind her head and pulled her into a very passionate kiss, only ending when they heard their names being called from the pond.

"Coming," they both yelled back.

Walking to the pond hand in hand, the couple was very happy. Harry thought about what had just transpired and believed he was really not ready for engagement yet either. Ginny made a good point and now he knew she would be there when they were both ready. This, he believed, made him happier than if he would have asked and she accepted. This was the first time that he was truly and utterly just happy. And with the promise of Ginny, he knew that it would only get better over time.

Ten thirty came on September 1st and the Weasley plus one Harry Potter and one Hermione Granger were on Platform 9 ¾ saying their goodbyes to Ginny for her last year at Hogwarts. This year they were actually early because there was only one person to get ready to go back to school. That and most of her things were at school anyways. It was a very heart felt, teary-eyed, typical last one off to school moment for the Weasley clan. Even Ginny, though trying to desperately hide it, had tears of sadness and joy about the whole ordeal. If she was not hugging a member of the family for the umpteenth billion time, then she was quietly holding Harry's hand and talking with friends as the appeared on the platform.

The time had come to finish boarding the train. Ginny knew she had to get on, but her feet weren't allowing her to move. She knew that she wasn't going to see Harry until the first Quidditch match because of his Auror training.

"You promise to be there?" Ginny asked while embraced in a large hug with Harry.

"Wouldn't miss it. I don't think there is a charm in the world that could save me if I did," Harry said with a grin.

"You're right, there isn't," she said pulling back to kiss him full on the mouth. This earned a few cat calls and cheers from the surrounding students.

Ginny had boarded just moments before the train left the station and quickly made her way to a compartment so she could get her head out the window. She waved vigorously at her family and especially Harry, her Harry. She kissed the palm of her hand and blew a kiss to Harry. Harry in turn caught and put it to his heart. As the compartment that Ginny was hanging out of was reaching the end of the platform, Ginny had one last thing to say and she made sure people outside of Platform 9 ¾ could hear it.

"I LOVE YOU HARRY JAMES POTTER!"  
Harry's face turned about as red as someone could turn. He just shoved his hands into his pocket and turn to meet the rest of the Weasley family and Hermione. He looked up as he closed the distance and noticed very wide smiles on all their faces. Except Ron, who was trying to scowl at him but was failing. Ron finally broke out the smile and Harry knew then that he was not alone in this family.

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**A/N: Thanks again to all how have read my story. I hope you liked it. I already have the workings for three new ones. I will probably be looking to use a beta for my next story, so if anyone is interested just drop me a pm. I will be willing to beta for you as well. Granted my grammer isn't the best but I can do a fair job. Again please review. I like reviews.**


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